FYI
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Sound Effects
[Flashback/Recording]
(Notes)
Important
Setting
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Suzuki's Room
While Suzuki was usually a composed guy, he couldn't hide the blush on his face as his mind rushed with images of the girl who had caused him to become so flustered. His head was not able to wrap around what she had asked him. He sighed, the blush still evident on his face
"What was she thinking? Asking me out like that? How can she do that so casually?"
[Kiyomi looked at Suzuki with a straight face but with a slight blush.
"Hey, Horikita-Kun. Do you want to go out with me?"
Suzuki looked at her in shock.
'She can blush?'
"What?"
Kiyomi looked down, sighing.
"If you're going to reject me that's fine as well. I just want an answer."
Suzuki blushed, taking a few breaths.
"I need some time to think about this."]
Suzuki clasped his hands on his face, rubbing his forehead to try to contemplate all of this.
"She said it so casually too! What is up with that girl? I mean I thought she was just a cute girl at first. She's not just a cutie."
Suzuki was practically having a mental breakdown. While he had been confessed to many times, most were from Admirers from afar, so he never paid much attention to those confessions. Ayanokoji Kiyomi was different. She was a Classmate... no, a friend.
'How am I supposed to respond? How did things end up this way?'
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On The Bus
Suzuki was sitting on the bus reading Crime And Punishment when he heard a voice.
"Hey, can you please get up so this lady can sit down?"
'Why would I give up my seat? How would it benefit me?'
Suzuki then saw that the voice was coming from an office lady who was talking to a young man with blond hair.
'Ah so she wasn't talking to me.'
Koenji laughed as he combed his hair.
"I refuse."
"You're sitting in a priority seat. You have to get up."
"Does it say anywhere in the law that I have to give up my seat?"
"No but..."
"Then I refuse to get up. Standing takes more energy than sitting down."
"Why you! You're just a kid. Listen to your elders."
"You speak as if you're better than me. You may be older but better is a stretch. A long one at that. Ha ha ha."
Koenji slicked back his hair, laughing when Kushida walked over.
"I'll give up my seat."
Suzuki looked at Kushida and sighed.
'Honestly? Why even bother? Why would you do something like that?'
He turned his attention away from Kushida, Koenji, and the office lady, and then Suzuki went back to his book. He was reading it for the first time and found it fascinating when he felt someone's gaze. He looked to see a girl with long brown hair looking at him.
'Another one huh?'
When he inspected her closer, though he was able to see her features more clearly, she was tall for a girl (about 169cm), only slightly shorter than him (178cm). Her long hair reached her elbows. Her figure was modest, to say the least, and her face was monotone, which at first glance would make her seem bland, but Suzuki saw through this. He could tell she was actually quite beautiful if you looked at them closer. She was... a cutie.
'Hold on... what am I doing? If I continue staring I'll be no better than those other girls.'
He looked away as the bus came to a stop and walked out of the bus.
'Wait why am I the one in the wrong here? She was staring first.'
Suzuki stopped at the entrance to confront her as she turned to face him. Her face was indifferent.
"Can I help you?"
"Why were you staring at me on the bus?"
"I wasn't though."
"I could feel your gaze."
"I was looking at the book you were reading. You were only in my line of sight."
And then it dawned on him as if lightning had struck him.
'She wasn't looking at me? Seriously?'
Suzuki often had women's gazes on him. At times, he even caught his teachers looking at him inappropriately. Because of this, she generally felt more comfortable with male teachers. Regardless of all that, it was safe to say he was quite handsome, and he knew it.
"Then I apologise for the misunderstanding."
He offered his hand to her. The fact that she wasn't staring intrigued him.
"It's nothing. I don't mind."
She took his hand, shaking it.
"Well then. I'll leave you be then."
"You're not going to introduce yourself?"
"No need."
Suzuki left, leaving Kiyomi there. She watched his back as he left,t seemingly intrigued by him.
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Auditorium
Through some twist of fate, Suzuki found himself standing next to the same girl he had met before.
'Well this is quite the coincidence.'
A woman with glasses and a cold and calculating look stepped out onto the podium. She gave off a very professional and well-mannered disposition. She didn't say a word as the Class 1-C boys spoke up.
"Hey girly? Need some help finding your notes?"
"I'm sure we could help you."
"We could help you a lot."
Suzuki gritted his teeth in anger, giving the boys a death glare when the girl finally spoke.
"I am Horikita Makoto. I will be your Student Council President for my remaining year at this school. At this school, Merit is judged above all else. Your days here will be gruelling, but if you push past your weaknesses and move forward, you'll look fondly at the time you spent here."
'I've finally caught up to you Nee-Chan.'
He thought this, but once her gaze shifted to hi,m his eyes pointed to the ground, unable to look her in the eye.
"Do you have some type of Sister complex?"
Kiyomi's voice broke the silence as Suzuki was baffled by such a question.
"What kind of question is that? And how do you know she's my sister?"
"You two look similar enough. Why do you seem apprehensive? Do you have some kind of aversion towards her?"
"What!? No!"
"Not that huh? I thought so."
'This girl... she's really getting to me. Pushing my buttons like this.'
Suzuki sighed, looking at Kiyomi in annoyance.
"You're a strange person."
Kiyomi feigned an injury as if being struck in the heart before leaving.
'She really is strange. She's much more than just a cutie.'
That last word hung in his mind. He would never admit it, but he really did find this girl cute.
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Classroom
Suzuki sat down in class. Next to him was Kiyomi, who had been seated next to him.
'This girl... she lied to me! She was staring! She's been stalking me this entire time since the bus hasn't she? She must have somehow made it so this situation could be possible. Otherwise, it's too much of a coincidence.'
"Oh it's you Horikita-Kun."
"So you're using my last name now?"
"Would you rather I use your first name? I feel like that's a bit forward though. Besides I don't know it."
"I wouldn't be surprised if you did though with the way you've been stalking me."
"I haven't been stalking you though. It's really all just a coincidence."
"If it is then it's an unpleasant one."
"That's pretty cruel. You know that girls won't like you if you're like that."
'Is this girl... actually teasing me? Ugh not another one. I hate it when girls do that to me. So annoying.'
Suzuki makes an annoyed face before turning to face her.
"As if something as trivial as the attention of women disappearing would bother me. In fact I welcome it."
Kiyomi put her hand to her mouth.
"So you're the type that would rather die alone... I see."
"Wa...What...? You... sigh... whatever. I don't even care."
'She's not trying to get me interested in her. I think she actually dislikes me with the way she's choosing to insult me. Well it's either one way or another and at least this way I don't have to think she'll just be someone who's normal with me.'
Suzuki sighed as people began to introduce themselves when the introductions came to Kiyomi.
"My name is Ayanokoji Kiyomi. I'm not really good at anything in particular. I hope to get along with you all?"
Suzuki sighed.
'Yeah right.'
Many sweat dropped at her less-than-spectacular introduction, though one boy did look her way. Yamauchi Haruki. Suzuki saw the perverted face he was making.
'Even though I don't know him. From that look I can tell he's scum.'
A woman in her thirties entered the Classroom.
'Please don't stare at me. It's annoying.'
However, this woman's gaze was directed at his seatmate. He could tell her gaze was focused on the person next to him.
'Well... that's new. Maybe it's not so bad that she's next to me after all. But why is she attracting the attention of the teacher already?'
He turned to see the girl asleep on her desk. The first thought in his mind was that even while asleep, her face wouldn't relax as if she was still alert... next in his thought was that she looked cute...but after that?
'...'
He had no words to express how dumbstruck he was that this girl was sleeping in class. The first class of the three years they'd be spending in school, no less.
'What the hell is wrong with her!?'
He kicked her table, waking her up.
"Wake up! We're in the middle of class you fool!"
Kiyomi slowly opened her eyes, looking at Suzuki with an indifferent expression.
"Violence against women isn't looked well upon you know."
"What violence? Do you have any proof?"
"You're a nasty man you know. Even if you marry you'll likely get a divorce."
Suzuki got annoyed by this.
"Your constant insults are getting old. Especially since you don't seem to derive any joy from them which means you're only doing this for the sole reason of annoying me."
"Yes I am. I never denied that."
'This girl!'
Even though he usually attempted to keep his calm, this girl had an easy time getting under his skin. He stood up in front of her, his hands on her desk. Kiyomi retracted her face, leaning her back against her chair to create distance.
"You're awfully close. It's quite rude to shove your face towards a girl you know."
"Are we going to have some kind of problem Ayanokoji-San?"
"Hm? ... Problem? No. I would hope not. Why would we?"
Suzuki got even more annoyed by such a nonchalant response.
"Ayanokoji-San. Are you actually dumb or are you only pretending?"
"Now who's the one throwing insults?"
"Exactly! Why wouldn't we have a problem then?"
"Then the problem will solve itself if you don't insult me."
Suzuki was dumbfounded but this response.
"I meant you insulting me!!!"
The class looked at the two of them in apprehension, but the Teacher continued on as if nothing had happened, confusing many students, including Suzuki.
"But I was only teasing you."
"You call that teasing?"
"I thought it was just friendly banter. Isn't it common in male friend groups?"
"First of all. I don't have any friends. Certainly not you. Second of all that kind of banter is reserved for close friends and finally, you're not a man."
"Oh... well... I guess I butchered my first attempt at making a friend then."
'She was trying to be my friend? That was her attempt at being my friend. Oh god she's hopeless.'
Suzuki sighed.
'There's something wrong with this girl.'
Some time passed as the class ended, and Koenji approached Kiyomi.
"You're far more than meets the eye Ayanokoji-Girl. Care to spend the evening with me?"
Kiyomi made a very confused face.
"Um... I don't know you and you don't know me so... I don't think you'd find my company very entertaining."
Koenji laughed a little as the other students, including Suzuki, were shocked at Koenji's sudden proposition,n especially given it was obvious what his intentions were.
"Nonsense. I can already sense you have worth. You'll definitely be entertaining."
"I'm nothing all that special though."
Koenji grabbed her wrist.
"Come now. At least stand up to greet me."
Koenji looked a bit surprised as Suzuki's hand was gripping his wrist.
"Let her go. She's clearly not comfortable with this."
Koenji laughed a little, grabbing Suzuki's collar,r causing Suzuki to get lifted I tot the air a little.
"You're a bit too bold aren't you to think you can..."
Koenji's eyebrow raised as Kiyomi freed herself from his left hand's grip before gripping his right hand.
"Let him go. Koenji-Kun. I'm afraid I don't know you very well. I'm not willing to spend the evening with you because of it."
The girls agreed.
"Yeah! No means no!"
Koenji let go of Suzuki and smiled.
"No woman has ever rejected me. How interesting you are Ayanokoji-Girl. I suppose I'll have fun conquering you."
"You'd have to do a lot to make up for this first impression Koenji-Kun."
Koenji smiled, laughing as he left.
The wind blew in from the open window as Kiyomi gently stroked her hair behind her ear as she looked at Suzuki.
"Thank you for stepping in."
"Um... no... it's alright. It seemed like you had everything under control anyways."
'She's... really cute... wait what am I thinking!?'
Suzuki blushed as Kiyomi tilted her head.
"Are you alright? Your face is all red."
"I'm fine."
Suzuki sat back down.
"What's your name by the way?"
"What? Isn't knowing my last name enough?"
"Um yes but friends will generally refer to each other by their first names after a while right? I thought I'd learn your first name in advance."
"But you're not my... sigh... you're going to pester me for it aren't you? Fine. Its Suzuki. Horikita Suzuki."
"It's good to meet you Horikita-Kun. Maybe we can reset and try being friends again?"
"Don't even think about it."
Suzuki tuned her out, listening to the teacher,r but his mind kept wandering to the girl next to him.
'Damn this girl. I underestimated her. She's not just a cutie.'
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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Schedule: Chapters will be released once every 3 days until it catches up to its Wattpad counterpart, which currently has 20 chapters. After that chapters will release as I write them concurrently with the Wattpad counterpart.