Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

"Horikita," I called her name suddenly. She looked slightly surprised as if she hadn't expected me to call her out abruptly.

"What is it Ayanokouji-Kun? Is there any business you wish to conduct with me?" She asked, her head slightly cocked in confusion.

"Actually, yes there is. If you're not too busy, I'd like to speak with you alone about something. Will that be okay with you?"

"Hmm... Is it about something important?" As an answer, I just nodded.

"That's perfectly acceptable. But first, let me go to the convenience store and get a lunch kit. Today I didn't eat much." She let me know.

"Speaking of lunch, instead of buying something from the convenience store, why don't you accompany me to palate cafe?" I had invited her. She looked at me, trying to figure out if I had a hidden agenda.

"What are yoy planning Ayanokouji-Kun?" She inquired with skepticism.

"Does an invitation from me suggest that I have some sort of ulterior motive?"

"If you could tell me specifically why you want to go there, I'd be willing to hear you out."

"Well, first of all, I wanted to try some of the cuisines that they have to offer. I could go there by myself, and you could simply buy a simple meal from the convenience store, but it would be more efficient if we ordered food from the same place. The meals available at the convenience store don't look particularly appetizing to me. Furthermore, the cafe is always packed with women, and I'm not brave enough to go there by myself because I might end up attracting some unwanted attention due to my popularity with the fairer sex." I stated my objective.

"I suppose that's a plausible explanation. Wait, you're not recommending that we eat there, are you?"

"Obviously not. We'll just order some takeout and hold our meeting in my dorm room. Of if you prefer, we can use your dorm or any other private location."

"We'll simply visit your dorm. In my case, I still need to organize a few items."

"All right then. Shall we get going now?" As a symbol of invitation, I extended my hand. She simply nodded and got out of her seat, grabbing her luggage. We then silently proceeded to the cafe.

We had finally arrived at our destination after a few minutes of walking around the mall. As we entered the cafe, the automatic doors easily slid open. Everyone looked at us for a brief moment before returning to their conversations with their peers.

...

Well, that's what I wanted to happen, but the majority of the girls in the cafe were staring at us, especially at me, as if they were peering into my soul. Murmurs and gossip about me and Horikita could be heard throughout the cafe.

"Isn't he the one who came in first place in the Ikemen rankings?"

"Oh my God he is! He's even more stunning in person!"

"Wait, Is he on a date with that girl?"

"Damn it! We were beaten to the punch."

Were some of the whispers I could hear among the girls in the cafe.

I looked around the cafe to see if there were any familiar faces. Karuizawa and her pals were present, but Hirata was noticeably absent. Ichinose was also present, and I believe she was with a few of her classmates. And, as expected, no boys were in sight in the cafe.

I understand why they don't want to visit this location. The place exuded a frightening aura around it, with girls dominating the space and a "no boys allowed" type of vibe. Well, except if you were someone fairly popular or considered handsome among the girls of this school.

"We've got quite a throng here, haven't we?" Horikita spoke finally breaking the awkward silence between us.

"It is only natural. After all, our year's and presumably every other year's females frequent this location. Is this your first time coming here too Horikita?" I made an attempt to strike up a conversation with her.

"It certainly is. Although appealing, the meals and beverages available here can be highly unhealthy, which would be detrimental to my health. Plus, this location is normally highly crowded, which would be inconvenient for someone like me."

"Oh right, you're a loner." Wait did I just say that out loud?

"You're making fun of me aren't you? How childish." Horikita coldly replied to my remark.

"Sorry, that just slipped out of my mouth. I had no such intention of mocking you." I quickly apologized.

"Your manner of speech makes it difficult to discern what your words truly mean," Horikita replied by going after my weak point. I sincerely hoped she did not intend to do that on purpose.

We waited in line for a couple of minutes until it was eventually our turn to place an order.

"Good day! It's great to meet you both! Could you please tell me what you both wish to order today?" In a friendly tone of voice, the charming lady at the counter inquired.

"I'll just have a strawberry milkshake and two slices of banana bread to go." Horikita submitted her order. "What about you Ayanokouji-Kun?"

I rested my palm on my chin, as if deep in contemplation, and stared at the refrigerated bakery case in front of me, curious about the pastries they had on display.

They sold a variety of sweet pastries, including melon pan bread, various flavored French croissants, several types of cake, and other sweet treats you could think of. But I had already made up my mind on what I would buy as three pastries on display had piqued my interest and sparked my curiosity.

"I'll only get one cinnamon roll, one cookie monster cookie, and one small slice of chocolate chip brownies." That amount of sweets should suffice for now.

Horikita seemed perplexed by how much sugary food I was purchasing. You can't really blame me, can you? This was the first time I had seen such food since the white room would always serve us healthy foods that were required for our mandatory diet.

"Alright then! Please be patient and wait for your orders to be completed." The lady informed us.

"You've got quite the sweet tooth don't you?" Horikita commented on the number of unhealthy treats I had ordered.

"I don't typically eat this much junk food," I admitted honestly. "However, today will be my first time trying stuff like this, so I'm rather curious how they'll taste in my tongue."

"Are you serious...?" Horikita asked, a bit shocked by my response.

"My father had always put me on a rigorous diet since I was a child. As a result, I've never really had the opportunity to sample the sweet and savory cuisines that you presumably did during childhood."

"I see..." That was the only thing she could say in response. My ears may be deceiving me, but Horikita's voice had a trade of genuine sympathy in it when she said that.

"All right here are your orders!" She informed us as she placed two paper bags on the counter. "The total cost of purchases is 4.650 private points."

"Horikita, would you like me to pay for our orders?" While turning on my phone, I offered to pay.

"Why should you be the only one to pay? Isn't it better for the both of us to just split the bill?"

"Well, when a boy and a girl both buy something together, isn't it normally the men that pay for it?"

"Such gender-stereotypical rubbish does not hold water with me. Unless the other person is adamant about paying for everything, I believe both parties should be able to pay for what they each desire." Horikita was frank in her assessment of the matter.

We both mutually agreed to each pay 2325 private points. We each took a paper bag carrying our orders and made our way to the dorms after the transaction was completed.

"Would you like to begin conversing with me as we walk?" I proposed.

"Shouldn't we discuss our subjects when we get into your room?"

"But, Horikita, take a look around you; there's hardly anyone around us. I believe we have established a sufficiently private environment in which we can discuss class issues without being overheard." Even if someone was currently tailing us, I'd have picked up on it by now.

"Hmm... Fine then. What exactly do you want to talk about with me today?"

"First and foremost, I've gained some understanding of how other classes function. To begin with, let's look at Class B. Class B is captained by Ichinose Honami, who exudes the aura of a caring and kind-hearted individual. She also appears to be a conscientious student who is a strict follower of the rules. If her class has unanimously chosen her to head them, their class must share the same views and values as she does. As a result, outside of our own class, they are probably the safest option for us to form an alliance with." I elaborated.

"Do you plan on making friends with our future foes...?" Horikita enquired further.

"Horikita, even though this is a highly unique type of school, we are still simply high school students. It's unnecessary to treat everyone outside of Class D with such venom. Of course, the fact that you're not letting your guard down is a good thing. But considering that we don't exactly know what these special exams contain, it's possible that in the near future, we might be compelled into teaming up with other classes of our year to fight against the upcoming adversaries from our year or maybe even our upperclassmen." I clarified.

"You make an excellent point once again Ayanokouji-Kun. As one would expect from you." Horikita complimented and expressed admiration for me.

It's good to know that she doesn't regard me as someone below her, but rather someone praiseworthy in her eyes. This would be a modest step towards eliminating Horikita's superiority complex.

"Now let's go to Class C. Class C currently lacks a leading figure in their class, although that may change shortly. A student called Ryuen aims to seize control of his class by using violence and tyranny to force his peers to bow to him."

"So he's the guy who tried to pick a fight with you..." Horikita muttered.

"So you've heard about what happened in the cafeteria at lunch..."

"I wasn't physically present, but I couldn't help but overhear some of our classmates discussing it."

So the word has gotten around among my peers, huh? Because the cafeteria was so packed, it most likely spread to the other courses as well. Great, More unwelcome attention, just exactly what I needed.

"Against someone like Ryuen, we should be on our alert. He seeks to prey on me, which means he intends to target all of Class D. He'll most likely be the most troublesome foe we'll have to contend with as of now." I went into more detail.

"How about Class A? Do you have any information on them?"

"No, I don't know enough about them to try to figure out how they work. Class A is still a mystery to me at the moment."

Class A... The class that features students who the school has determined to be faultless and superior to those of the students in the lower classes. Based on what I saw during the entrance ceremony, they were also the class that behaved the best throughout its period.

Arisu and Hashimoto are the only people I know from Class A. Perhaps I could try to secretly probe some information from them regarding their class affairs in a non-obtrusive manner.

We'd finally made it to the dorms and were swiftly making our way to my room. I swiped the key card to enter room 401, which revealed the same vacant room I had been accustomed to for the past three days at my time here at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.

"Your room is spotless, Ayanokouji-Kun," Horikita observed. "Do you consider yourself a minimalist?"

"No, not really. I just don't see the point in having any extraneous exterior in my dorm room."

"Isn't that essentially what a minimalist is?"

"You are free to imagine me in any way you want. Anyway, let's talk while we eat." I said as I placed my bag on top of the bed.

Horikita placed her school bag lightly on the floor before placing her paper bag with her pastry order on the dining table, just as I did.

I snatched the little plastic container from the paper bag that held the chocolate chip brownie slice. Then, for the first time, I sampled the brownies...

It was overwhelmingly sweet, which is to my liking. It had a velvety texture and a fudgy, chocolatey flavor. The chocolate chips also added a nice touch.

Horikita remarked, "Your expression resembles that of a toddler."

"Is that meant to be a snub?"

"No. I'm only saying what I observed on your face when you tried that brownie. It's understandable given that this is your first time trying anything so sickeningly sweet. But I don't advocate eating too many sweet pastries like that. It could be harmful to both your health and your hygiene." Horikita counseled me.

"You don't need to tell me that much. Anyways, before we discuss my topic, are you feeling all right? I'm sure your mind is still a bit jumbled, especially after what occurred yesterday between us and Chabashira-Sensei." I initiated the start of our meeting.

"At the very least, I'm doing better than I was yesterday. It's pointless to be concerned about my current class placement at this stage." Horikita reassured me.

"Even though I still consider myself a quite capable student, you've demonstrated that you and some other students on this campus may be superior to me in other ways. That's why Ayanokouji-Kun, I've decided to trust the success of Class D in your hands." Horikita declared. "At first, I was suspicious of how talented you actually were, but you've proven to be someone deserving of respect. Regarding our class and everything else, I'll put my faith in your enticing skills. I'm hoping that by working together, we'll be able to soar above the ranks and propel our class into Class A."

"Thank you, Horikita. I'm hoping we'll be able to work effectively together since our goals align. From now until our three years here, I'm looking forward to working with you." She eagerly grasped my hand and shook it when I extended my arm for a handshake.

"Now, on to our first order of business: I believe you have the potential to be a vital part of Class D's success. In terms of tenacity, Horikita, you're impressive. And, based on what Chabashira-sensei said the day before, you should be quite astute. You also appear to have a keen sense of responsibility, which is particularly useful. "I assessed. "Allies are the only thing you lack right now. If you don't have at least one ally, you'll never reach your full potential and may even self-destruct due to the result of that."

"I've already acknowledged that is something I need to work on. But, even if I tried to build new connections with our classmates, I'm not exactly the most socially outgoing person." Horikita paused to consider her comments.

"Then let's start step by step. Do you consider me an ally Horikita?" I inquired of her.

"Of course I do. Have I not made that clear? You're obviously someone necessary for us to reach Class A." Horikita came back with a response.

"That's good then. Now onto the next step."

"Next step?" Horikita blurted out, a bit confused.

"Do you consider me someone you can call a friend Horikita?"

"That... Well... What exactly is friendship anyway?" Horikita was taken aback by my unexpected inquiry.

"By textbook definition, a friend is someone you know and have a mutual affection for, usually without regard for sexual or familial ties. But, to be honest, there is no definitive description of what friendship truly is. Maybe it's someone who can listen to your troubles without judgment or someone with whom you can enjoy a beer with or someone with whom you share a common interest. Everyone has a different perspective on what friendship entails. However, It doesn't have to be so difficult. If you consider me a friend, then we're friends because I also feel the same. It's not that complicated really."

I can't believe I'm the one giving Horikita advice on friendship out of everyone else. It's ironic, isn't it?

I may have come out as someone who knows how to make friends with her, but in reality, I'm the polar opposite. I was still learning the true meanings of friendship and human connections. Naturally, I desired a shared link with someone with whom I could share all of my burdens with. My problems, on the other hand, aren't so common that I can just tell anyone about them.

Eichiiro is probably the closest person I can call a friend, yet even he doesn't know everything there is to know about me and my upbringing. Arisu may have a better understanding of the type of person I am, but our connection hasn't progressed far enough for me to consider her someone special to me. At the end of the day, maybe it is I who needs to learn more about the basics of friendship.

"If you insist then... I'm not opposed to calling someone like you, my friend." She replied in a soft tone, slightly flustered by what she just said.

"Alright then. Thank you, Horikita." I expressed my appreciation.

"Now we'll get down to business." I went on. "Are you familiar with the phrase 'Don't believe everything you see, even salt can pass on as sugar.' Horikita?"

"I am, indeed. What exactly are you getting at Ayanokouji-Kun?" Horikita requested that I get straight to the point.

"Well...

She visibly flinched and had a bewildered expression on her face when she heard my bluff. It seems Kushida does not appear to be the sweet girl she presents herself to be in front of others...

"What do you mean by that Ayanokouji-Kun?" Was she trying to play dumb? Did something happen between them?

"I think you know exactly what I'm implying Horikita. I'm just curious to ask you, what kind of person is Kushida Kikyou really?" I interrogated her further.

"You could have asked that question to anyone, but why me? You're aware that I'm not particularly close to her"

"On the surface, that appears to be correct. However, Horikita..." I then leaned in closer, bringing our faces even closer together. "I know that you and Kushida must have some sort of history together," I spoke in hushed tones into her ear.

I leaned back to see she had a very shocked expression on her face. It's understandable considering I've just dropped a bombshell on her out of nowhere.

"H-how did you know?" So she doesn't intend to hide the fact, does she?