Chapter 19
A/N- Sorry for Disappearing but I have my finals of this semester incoming so I was busy creating a backlog of chapters do that I won't have to write in between chapters, thankfully I'm done with that.
Also, at first when I completed the chapter I noticed that 70-80% of it was mostly copied from the original novel without me realising. So to not cheat you guys I've written a double chapter into one and so this chapter will be longer than the usual daily chapters!
Enjoy!
———
Ayanokouji didn't like it one bit.
He thought he had escaped and could finally live a normal life, experience friends, love, etc.
But everything was ruined because of Chiyabashira-sensei.
He thought back to the day the S-System was revealed.
***
Just as he was idly sitting by a loud sound came from the speakers in class, "Ayanokouji from Class D. Chiyabashira-sensei is calling for you. Please come to the staffroom."
Hmm?
"Sorry Kushida-san looks like I'll have to leave..."
Kushida nodded with an "un un" and Ayanokouji walked out of the class under the heavy gazes of his classmates.
He wondered why he was being called to the staff room. He hadn't done anything special as far as he remembered.
After he reached the staff room and had an awkward conversation with the Homeroom teacher of Class B, Hoshinomiya Chie, who was kicked out by Chiyabashira-sensei and taken away by Ichinose-san, he was told to wait in the kitchen office.
He shouldn't have listened.
Everything went downhill from there.
Why?
...
"You can come in Horikita."
He heard a few footsteps and felt the ominous premonition in his heart grow.
Ayanokouji already had an inkling of what Horikita wanted to talk about. He knew that she had a superiority complex and as such hearing the subtle anxiety in her voice surprised him.
"I will be frank. Why was I sorted into Class D?"
"That's quite frank."
"Today, you told us that the school sorted superior students into Class A. You said that Class D was filled with the leftovers, the last bastion of delinquents."
"That's true. You must consider yourself to be a superior person, am I right?"
"I solved nearly every problem on the entrance examination. I made no substantial mistakes in the interview, either. At the very least, I shouldn't have been sorted into Class D."
Horikita was definitely the type to think of herself as superior. She wasn't excessively self-conscious, either.
She'd tied for first place on the test, as shown in the morning's results.
"You solved nearly all of the problems on the entrance examination, hmm? Normally I couldn't show the examination results to individual students, but I'll make an exception in this case. I just so happen to have your answer sheet here."
"You're incredibly prepared. It's…almost as if you knew I'd come here to protest."
The conversation ahead wasn't surprising to Ayanokouji, the gist of the whole discussion was that even though Horikita had placed third on the entrance exams the way the school-based merits weren't solely by grade.
Chiyabashira-sensei also mentioned how due to this grading system due to only studies was ruining Japan.
Horikita had a dark face, "Anyone would be dissatisfied at being placed in Class D. I'm still not convinced."
"You may be too hasty in proclaiming that no one would be happy to be incorrectly evaluated."
"Take Class A, for instance. They are under incredible pressure from the school, and also the target of extreme envy from the lower classes."
"Competing every day with that kind of pressure bearing down upon you is far more difficult than you might imagine. There are some students who are happy to be incorrectly evaluated at a lower level."
"You're joking, right? I can't understand such a person." Horikita scoffed in disbelief
"Is that so? I think that Class D boasts some of those people. Strange students who would happily be set at a low level."
It was almost as if she were talking to him through the walls.
Ayanokouji felt uncomfortable.
"You still haven't given me an explanation. Was I honestly sorted into Class D? Did anything go wrong with the grading? Please double-check," Horikita said.
"I'm sorry, but you weren't sorted by mistake. You are definitely in Class D. You are at that level."
"Is that so? Then I will ask the school again, at another time."
Apparently, she wasn't going to give up. Horikita knew there was no point in continuing to question the teacher.
The chair squeaked as she got up but suddenly Chaebashira-sensei stopped her.
"Oh that reminds me, I've also called another person to the guidance room... Someone relevant to you."
"Huh, wait do you mean Nii-" Horikita's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Come out Ayanokouji."
Ayanokouji had a stiff expression, 'Alright I won't come out then.'
"If you don't come out I'll have you expelled."
C-cruel. You shouldn't unfairly use expulsion as a weapon.
"How long will you make me wait?"
While letting out a sigh, he exited the office kitchen and into the guidance room. Naturally, Horikita was surprised.
"Were you… listening to us?"
"Listening? I know you guys were talking about something, but I didn't hear anything. The walls are pretty thick."
"That's not true. You can hear everything clearly from that kitchen."
For some reason, it looks like Chiyabashira-sensei wanted to drag him out into the room.
"… Sensei, why would you do that?"
Horikita immediately noticed that this was a setup. The anger was clear on her face.
"Because I decided it was necessary. Well then Ayanokouji, I'll tell you the reason I called you."
Chiyabashira-sensei shot down Horikita's question and turned her attention to him.
"Excuse me then…"
"Wait Horikita. You should listen to the end. This'll be a hint for how you can get up to class A."
Horikita stopped in her tracks and sat back down in her chair.
"Please keep it short."
Looking down at her clipboard, Chiyabashira-sensei laughed.
"You're an interesting student, Ayanokouji."
"I'm not interesting at all, not as interesting as someone like Chiyabashira who has a strange surname."
"Do you want to prostrate yourself in front of all the Chiyabashira-san's in the country? Hmm?"
Shaking her head a look of amusement took over her eyes.
"After your entrance examination results, I was thinking about potential individual teaching methods, but after seeing your test results, my interest was piqued. I was surprised at first."
A familiar answer sheet from the entrance exam was on the clipboard.
"50 points in Japanese, 50 points in math, 50 points in English, 50 points in history, 50 points in science… and the result of the most recent test was also 50 points. Do you know what this means?"
In a surprise, Horikita looked over his test form and then shifted her gaze to him.
"What a frightening coincidence," Ayanokouji spoke with the same dull tone and expression as he always had.
"Hou? You're going to claim that your results are a coincidence to the very end? It's clearly intentional."
"It's a coincidence. You have no proof. Anyway, what benefit would I get from manipulating my own results? If I had a brain that could get high marks, I would aim for perfect scores in all subjects."
Watching him feign innocence, she let out a sigh with a look of amazement.
"Honestly, you're a really weird student. Are you sure? Math problem #5 was only solved by 3% of all students this year. Additionally, you included a complex formula and used it flawlessly. On the other hand, the correct answer rate of #10 was 76%. Did you make a mistake? Or is that 'normal'?"
"I don't know what's normal in this world. It's a coincidence, a coincidence."
"Good grief. I admire your attitude, but it'll cause problems for you in the future."
"I'll think about that when I have to."
Chiyabashira-sensei sent Horikita a look that said, "How was that?"
"No, like I said, it's a coincidence. It's not like I'm hiding that I'm a genius or something."
Chiyabashira-sensei just shook her head.
"What do you think? He might be more intelligent than you are, Horikita."
Horikita visibly flinched.
Sensei, please don't say anything unnecessary.
Ayanokouji felt helpless.
***
Staring at Tatsuya, Ayanokouji had the same feeling as when he was dealing with Chiyabashira-sensei.
Tatsuya was going to cause trouble for him like Chiyabashira-sensei.
Because of Chiyabashira-sensei Horikita was now suspicious of him and demanded 'cooperation' to move to Class A because she regarded everyone else as incompetent.
It was exactly because of this that Horikita had him come along with her to meet Airi-san and invite Sudo and the rest to her study group.
This also begged the question of why Chiyabashira-sensei would do such a thing.
Why intentionally reveal his scores to Horikita and cause her doubt?
What was her goal?
After connecting the dots Ayanokouji was sure that Chiyabashira-sensei wanted to use Horikita to move to Class A but knowing it was impossible for her alone she intentionally made Horikita realise his value.
Her goal was probably wanting to move to Class A as well. If the students had such lucrative rewards for being in Class A then the teachers might also have some reward.
But what did Tatsuya want and why did he know he was from the White Room?
Did only he know or did Chiyabashira-sensei also know this?
Was he related to him Or... Did Chiyabashira-sensei tell him in the first place?
Ayanokouji glanced between Tatsuya and Airi, lost in thought.
"I really just want a peaceful high school life..." He muttered and gave Tatsuya a stern glance, "I really hope you don't cause me trouble."
Airi was surprised by the hint of threat in Ayanokouji's voice.
What the hell was going on?
"Hahaha,"
Tatsuya laughed loudly upon hearing that.
"Genius of the White Room... Can you really stop me?"
Ayanokouji turned his back and started leaving the room, he looked at Airi and calmly said, "I hope you'll attend class once you're well Airi-san, I wish you a speedy recovery."
Before shutting the door Ayanokouji gave Tatsuya one final glance.
(Image)
He spoke, as if answering Tatsuya's question, "Maybe, maybe not."
"..."
Clack!
The door closed.
Tatsuya and Airi were left alone in the room and Airi who was confused suddenly remembered who she was with and took a step back in vigilance.
"What do you want now...?"
Tatsuya who was originally feeling amused by Ayanokouji's words finally remembered why he had come here in the first place.
He shook his head, "I just came to check up on you. You know you'll get expelled if you keep skipping class."
Airi didn't answer and looked down.
"Well since it's my fault in the first place I'll help you study~" His tone turned playful towards the end and Airi shivered.
"I know you're thinking of dropping out but what would that accomplish?"
Hearing her plan laid bare open Airi snapped her head upwards and looked at him with a shocked expression.
Tatsuya smiled.
"What's happened has happened. Instead of causing yourself more suffering why not just listen to me for a bit."
...
Airi just wanted him gone.
His presence reminded her of the night she desperately wished to forget. It was more so because, towards the latter half of the night, her body had started enjoying it.
This was the biggest shame for her.
She stood in place as he approached her and stood behind her.
She suddenly felt that her joy of having him delete her pictures was utterly pathetic. She still didn't have the means to resist him.
He also knew her idol name was Shizuka, if he decided to he could utterly ruin her career.
Not to mention it was too hard to accuse him of anything considering the image Tatsuya had built from the start and she didn't have any friends to begin with.
She felt him place his hands on her shoulder and her body felt heavy.
"If you drop out now you'll only cause pain for yourself. How about letting me help you? Since I've taken something precious from you I ought to give you something in return right?"
Airi was silent as usual but her heart had a tinge of curiosity.
What was he trying to say?
"I know you want to be a model." Her body stiffened under his grip.
All of sudden his voice turned soft and gentle.
"Place your trust in me. I'll help you reach Class A. After 3 years you will successfully become a model and with me helping you from behind the scenes no one will mess with you."
"Just 3 years of obedience and the reward is decades of fulfillment and it's not like I'll disturb you every day. If I was that much of a fiend I wouldn't have waited so many days before coming to you."
Airi felt her heart shudder from how convincing his words sounded.
But still, his proposal was no different than selling herself for her career.
It was completely trampling upon her dignity.
And there was only one reason she hadn't instantly refused him which was that he had already taken advantage of her in every way possible.
What more did she have to defend?
This thought caused her resistance to slightly crumble.
Tatsuya sensed this and his hands slowly crept down from her shoulders to under her chest over the white collared shirt she was wearing.
His fingers gradually lifted her milkers and Airi shuddered.
"You'll listen to me won't you~?" He whispered in her ear.
***
A/N- Advanced Chapters- Patreon.com/AlmightySkyDxddy