Ayanokoji Kiyotaka

Warm sunlight slanted lazily into the Class B classroom. The shock of the point deductions and the aftereffects of the "expulsion" warning from homeroom still lingered in the air, while the atmosphere between classes was heavy with exhaustion and lingering thoughts after the tension.

A few students had gathered around Shimiya Kuki's desk, an unusual sight. After seeing his perfect "quiz" paper, several classmates who were weak in physics or math and had been warned by Hoshinomiya-sensei about their uneven performance were asking him, with a mixture of anxiety and hope, how to solve the last few difficult problems. Shimiya Kuki remained calm as he answered their questions in language so concise it was almost cold, occasionally sketching a clear diagram or formula on the scratch paper. He was efficient, but the aloofness surrounding him had not diminished in the slightest despite his "help."

Just then, the loudspeaker above the classroom gave a faint electrical buzz, followed by a clear female voice:

"Attention, attention. Shimiya Kuki of Class 1-B, your class advisor, Hoshinomiya-sensei, needs to see you. Please come to the Teacher's Office immediately. Repeat, Shimiya Kuki of Class 1-B, please come to the Teacher's Office immediately."

The announcement interrupted the discussion around the desk. The students gathered there instinctively stepped aside. Shimiya Kuki calmly set down his pen and pushed the scratch paper toward the student who had asked the question, indicating that they should work it out for themselves, then stood up.

"Shimiya-kun." Ichinose Honami's voice came at just the right moment. She had just finished talking with a few girls and approached with her usual gentle smile. "As it happens, I wanted to talk to Hoshinomiya-sensei too, about organizing study groups to help students who are weak in certain subjects. Can we go together? You don't mind, do you?" Her tone was natural and polite.

Shimiya Kuki glanced at her and gave a faint nod. "I don't mind."

The two of them left the classroom one after the other and walked down the sparsely populated hallway. Ichinose kept a light step, occasionally bringing up her initial ideas for the study group, while Shimiya Kuki mostly replied with brief "Mm"s and "That works."

The sign for the Teacher's Office soon came into view. As they neared the entrance, they noticed a figure standing still by the door.

It was a boy. He wore the same uniform and had an average build. His features were so ordinary they were utterly unremarkable; he was the kind of person who would disappear into a crowd in an instant. He stood with his back against the wall outside the office, head slightly bowed, his short brown hair falling over part of his eyes. An indescribable lack of "life" seemed to emanate from him, like an unpainted plaster statue casually left in a corner.

Out of politeness and friendliness, Ichinose Honami greeted the unfamiliar student first. "Hello, I'm Ichinose Honami from Class B. Did you need to see a teacher?"

At the sound of her voice, the brown-haired boy slowly raised his head. His dull, dark-brown eyes looked at Ichinose and Shimiya. His expression didn't change, and his voice was as flat as a straight line. "I'm Ayanokoji Kiyotaka from Class D. You could say I was summoned here rather than that I came to see a teacher."

Ichinose Honami tilted her head slightly, looking enlightened and curious. "Huh? You were summoned? Isn't that the same as Shimiya-kun?"

Shimiya Kuki calmly glanced at Ayanokoji without saying a word. Ayanokoji simply looked back at him in silence.

"Oh my~" Hoshinomiya Chie's unmistakably sweet voice floated out from inside the office, tinged with playfulness. She stepped out wearing a flawless smile. "Looking for Saezu? She was just here, but it seems she stepped away from her desk for a moment. Do you want to wait for her in the office?" Her tone was warm and familiar.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka replied calmly, "No, I'll wait in the hallway."

"I'm the Class B Advisor, Hoshinomiya Chie. Sae and I have been close friends since high school, and we even call each other 'Saezu' and 'Chie~'" Hoshinomiya-sensei said with a bright smile, studying Ayanokoji with interest. "Hey, why did Saezu call you out? Hey, hey, why?"

"Uh, I really have no idea..."

"You don't know? She called you out without even telling you why?"

Hoshinomiya-sensei kept firing questions at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, looking him up and down as if studying him.

"You're Ayanokoji-kun, right? How should I put it? You're pretty handsome, aren't you~" She deliberately drew out the last syllable. "You must be popular~ Have any cute girls confessed to you in class? Or do you already have a girlfriend?"

"No... Um, I'm not popular." His voice remained completely flat, stating it as a simple fact.

"Ehh—" Hoshinomiya-sensei drew the sound out dramatically and shook her head in mock regret. "That won't do, Ayanokoji-kun! Youth doesn't last forever!" She changed tack and turned to Shimiya, chiding him with affectionate reproach. "And you too, Shimiya! You two are both more like ice blocks than the other!" She deliberately put on a cold expression to imitate Shimiya, then immediately broke into a smile. "You're both such talented boys, but neither of you ever smiles! How can that possibly do? Girls like someone cheerful and sunny, right, Honami?" She winked teasingly at Ichinose.

"Ah?! H-Hoshinomiya-sensei!" Ichinose Honami's cheeks quickly flushed red, and she waved her hands in a panic, her voice tinged with embarrassment. "Please don't drag me into this again!"

Shimiya Kuki paid no heed to Hoshinomiya's string of teasing remarks. He simply spoke again, calmly bringing the conversation back on track. "Hoshinomiya-sensei, did you need something from me?" His gaze passed over Hoshinomiya, as if the discussion of "popularity," "girlfriends," and "smiles" had nothing to do with him.

Hoshinomiya-sensei seemed reluctant to stop, but—

BANG!

An unusually loud, dull thud suddenly rang out!

Chabashira Sae appeared behind Hoshinomiya without warning, her expression impassive. Without hesitation, she brought the thick, hard clipboard down on Hoshinomiya's head!

"Gah—!" Hoshinomiya-sensei cried out in pain and crouched down, clutching her head. Tears instantly welled in her eyes. "That hurts~ What are you doing, Saezu!" Her voice was both aggrieved and indignant.

Chabashira Sae looked down at her coldly. "Because you're pestering my student." Her words were blunt and merciless.

Clutching her head, Hoshinomiya protested in a wounded voice, "But he said he was here to see you, Saezu! I was just keeping him company while you were away!"

Chabashira Sae was unmoved, her tone growing colder. "Then you should've left him alone." Her gaze shifted to Ayanokoji, who stood quietly. She ordered:

"Ayanokoji, sorry for the wait. This isn't a very suitable place. Come with me to the Counseling Room."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka answered in his usual flat voice. "Yes." But he didn't move at once. Instead, he raised his head to look at Chabashira and added, in an almost matter-of-fact tone, with deliberately expressed confusion and the self-awareness of an "ordinary student":

"No, I think it's fine here. More importantly, you mentioned the Counseling Room... Did I do something? Even though I'm like this, I believe I've generally been careful not to attract too much attention during school."

Behind her glasses, Chabashira Sae's gaze was as sharp as a blade, as if it would pierce through his facade of "ordinariness." She offered no explanation. Her voice suddenly dropped to freezing cold, carrying an unmistakable force that brooked no argument:

"Don't talk back. Come with me."