Wishes and Pursuits

May 14, Tuesday

Only ten days remain until the midterm exams.

After school, I was called to the rooftop of the school building by an unexpected person.

"Kiyotaka-kun, is there something you need?"

Unlike usual, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's expression across from him was somewhat cold, his gaze fixed directly on Gojo Satoru.

"How much do you know about me?"

"Huh?

Is this some new kind of confession ritual?"

Ignoring the other's serious expression, Gojo Satoru kept up his playful nonsense.

But Ayanokoji had no patience to wait and simply stated what he knew.

"Chabashira told me that you're one of only two people in this school capable of helping me escape control.

So if you've been getting close to me, you must already know about my situation, right?"

'Worried it's not cautious enough?'

So she'd dragged him in after all. The teacher really would stop at nothing to get into Class A.

Still, only two?

That made sense too.

It was just a failed politician father.

If Koenji Rokusuke smoothly inherited his family's business, then with the power of his financial conglomerate, pulling one person away from a politician wouldn't be a problem.

Call him a politician, but these days the country's trends were largely driven by the conglomerates, even if it wasn't obvious on the surface.

"The son of the politician Ayanokoji Atsuomi, but never treated as a normal human being by his father.

He was part of his father's 'comeback' plan, spent his childhood in the near-human-rights-violating institution 'White Room,' and is the 'masterpiece' produced there.

Out of curiosity—to learn the 'worldly affairs' his father deemed unnecessary, to explore whether being called the so-called highest form of human was truly something to be happy about, to understand the real meaning of 'equality,' and to investigate what true 'ability' really is—he betrayed the 'White Room' and came to Advanced Nurturing High School.

Unfortunately, the person who helped you escape the 'White Room,' Matsuo, had his family retaliated against by your father and ultimately burned himself to death as an apology.

His son, Matsuo Eiichiro, was also retaliated against and has now committed suicide.

Strictly speaking, you're just a caged bird longing for freedom."

'They're already dead?'

Hearing this, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's heart tightened.

The only person who had ever helped him since childhood had been killed by his father's hand, and his son hadn't escaped either.

Though he couldn't be sure if what the other said was true, given how much he knew about him and his understanding of his father, the reality probably wouldn't differ much.

An inexplicable emotion rose in his chest—was this what anger was?

That he could feel such intense emotion from an external cause.

Somewhat unbelievable.

Seeing the other fall silent, he had no intention of staying quiet himself.

After all, the guy was pretty thick-skinned anyway; at most, he'd feel a little jolt of surprise, find it hard to believe.

"So, do I need to add anything else?

Like what you were supposed to master in the 'White Room,' or what your father's current plans are."

His train of thought was interrupted, but Ayanokoji didn't intend to wallow in sadness.

It wasn't really sadness, either—more like a bit of reflection on the brevity of life.

"No, that's enough.

What was taught in there is irrelevant, and Chabashira already told me about his current plans.

He wants me back and has already called the school to apply pressure.

What I want to know now is: are you willing to help me?

And what do I need to pay?"

The other already knew everything about him, even his father's plans—so his ability was clearly not in question.

The real issue now was whether he would help him break free from that man's control.

That was the most important thing.

"Of course I'm willing. I do like you, after all."

Even though the atmosphere was serious and his own mood wasn't great, being told that still made him break out in a cold sweat.

"This guy isn't messed up in the head, is he?!"

But it was probably just a literal statement—after all, pretty much everyone knew he had two girlfriends, and he hadn't tried to hide it.

Still, what was his real motive for helping?

"So, what's your condition?"

He didn't believe something this good would just fall into his lap. If it could, he wouldn't have grown up in a place like that.

Caught off guard by the question, it seemed he hadn't actually thought about what to ask for in return. With his abilities, he was practically unstoppable in this world.

"Conditions, huh?

Then for now, don't make any moves during this month's midterms. I'll let you know if I need anything later.

After all, the only reason I'm helping you is that I think we share something in common."

Was that really all?

Just for that, making an enemy of a politician was hard to swallow.

From what he knew, no one would antagonize a politician over personal preference—the stakes were far too low.

But since the other party wasn't willing to explain, he'd try a different angle.

"If what I'm after is freedom, then what are you after?"

What was he after?

That was the second time today he'd been stumped.

"What am I after?

That's both a hard and an easy question for me.

What I seek, what I hope for, is just one thing: happiness."

Happiness?

That kind of impractical thing?

But before he could speak, the other continued.

"As long as the people I care about are happy, I don't give a damn about anyone else.

The world isn't fair—it never has been, from the moment you're born.

Those with talent and those without, the rich and the poor.

Lucky people get to live good lives, while the unlucky ones are stuck with a miserable existence.

In a fictional story, people's hopes might lead to infinite possibilities, overturning those facts and turning the world into a paradise for most.

But this is reality. That kind of thing will never happen."

Was he similar to himself?

Except he'd swapped himself out for the people he cared about, making everyone else just a backdrop.

If they had value, use them. If not, discard them. No need to waste time on irrelevant outsiders.

"Looking at it that way, we really do share something in common. Could this be the start of a friendship?"

A friend?

Or a tool?

"If that's really how you feel, then maybe we could actually become friends. But not now."

"You might not believe me when I say this, and maybe part of it is that I want to use your help, but I genuinely crave friends.

Unlike those fools, I want to make a friend who's on my level, someone who won't be too far apart from me."

Too bad. The distance between them was just a little too wide.

From his perspective, the gap probably didn't seem that big. After all, by normal standards, the other guy's abilities were already rare among his peers, a standout on his own.

He was the real exception, the anomaly.

"Then, let me reintroduce myself.

I'm Gojo Satoru. Nice to meet you."

As he spoke, he extended his right hand.

The other reached out and shook it, introducing himself seriously.

"My name is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Nice to meet you too. I look forward to working with you."

"You will."