Mosquitoes Don't Speak, They Only Suck Blood

In the middle of the battlefield, someone began reciting. The gears of the argument paused for a moment, and Bai Yu and a certain unreasonable nemesis simultaneously turned their eyes toward the person in front of them.

"Um... well... my name is Ayanokoji... Kiyotaka... I don't have any particular hobbies... I'll try my best to get along with everyone... um... yeah, pleased to meet you."

Silence.

Clap, clap.

"Pleased to meet you too, Ayanokoji-kun."

"So you admit you're a fly?"

The gears of the argument began turning again. The bard's efforts seemed to have changed nothing.

How cruel.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka slumped back into his seat like melting ice cream, listlessly lodging some complaint in his heart.

Seeing that this tactic of relieving one crisis by creating another had failed, the boy hosting the proceedings stopped his somewhat lonely applause and simply turned the spearhead toward the person involved.

"Um, could the classmate behind Ayanokoji-kun introduce himself too?"

He extended a hand and made the suggestion with a smile.

"I'm not a fly. I'm a mosquito, and I'm here specifically to suck your blood!"

"..." Everyone's expressions stiffened at once.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka chose to turn around and give him a simple signal.

"Oh, oh, sorry."

Bai Yu promptly received the emergency message. Swallowing the draft response he had prepared for battle, he sorted out his thoughts, rose calmly to his feet, and said readily, "My name is Bai Yu. I used to be an international transfer student. When I have free time, I like writing theatrical scripts. I also have some experience performing in plays."

"At the beginning of the school year, I plan to establish my own club at school, where I can harvest—cough—research, absorb, and learn knowledge related to theater. I hope everyone will come support us when the time comes..."

Bai Yu gracefully and generously described his background and characteristics. His steady, understated narration, paired with polite and appropriate gestures, fully presented an image of a sunny, cheerful, and approachable young man.

Having heard two vastly different self-introductions in quick succession, some people could not help comparing them in their hearts and letting out quiet exclamations of surprise.

Others saw straight through the surface to the essence. Unable to extract even a shred of important information from the somewhat lengthy introduction, they frankly and purely focused their gazes on the boy's clean, handsome face, unable to stop themselves from declaring their admiration for his looks in their hearts.

Some were even grinding their teeth inwardly, cursing, Handsome guys are the worst. They could casually make the slightest move and easily draw the girls' attention, even though they themselves were among the best-looking people in the class...

Horikita Suzune paid no heed to the messy noises around her.

She held a book in front of her face, finding only the flies' infighting unbearably noisy.

She sat with perfectly straight posture, occasionally casting probing glances toward the person beside her, as though scouting the enemy.

The mosquito's desire to show off was truly exaggerated. It was unbelievable.

So there really were people in this world who loved displaying themselves this much. She had no idea what the point was. It seemed only natural that the two of them would get into arguments... For the time being, she might as well reflect on herself through this person. Perhaps that would let her advance toward her predetermined path more quickly.

Horikita Suzune's gaze lingered on Bai Yu for a moment before she withdrew it after he made a finishing gesture akin to taking a bow after a performance. She coolly jabbed, "You really are working hard to please your feeders, Mr. Mosquito."

Bai Yu calmly returned to his seat, ignoring someone's mockery.

When he heard the applause around him begin much more promptly than it had for the previous speaker, a dark and bewitching smile curled across his lips again. He announced to himself, "I won."

"?"

Horikita Suzune looked puzzled. "Do you need me to apply for psychological treatment for you? I hear the school's medical services are quite good."

"Heh... hehehe... hahahahahahaha!"

Bai said nothing, only laughed.

The laughter made Horikita Suzune's skin crawl, while an inexplicable sliver of competitiveness rose in her heart.

Horikita's smile twitched. "It seems sending you straight to the intensive care unit might be more appropriate."

Bai Yu abruptly stopped laughing, then suddenly fell silent for a moment. Just as she began sinking into confusion, suspicion, tension, and doubt, he slowly straightened his back as though waking from sleep. He solemnly turned his head toward her and revealed a provocative, faintly disdainful smile.

"???"

"Next, could that girl please introduce herself to us?"

"Me?"

Horikita Suzune raised her head in surprise and found that the boy named Hirata Yosuke was looking at her.

She then glanced to her left, where someone slowly closed his eyes again before turning away with a subtly sympathetic expression.

It was as if he were saying that he knew what would happen next without even looking.

The expression on Horikita Suzune's face twitched. An avalanche had struck the ancient iceberg. Unable to swallow this insult, the competitive fire blazing through her like wildfire drove her straight out of her seat.

Her gaze swept across every person in the classroom. Unwilling to lose, she said, "My name is Horikita Suzune, and I graduated from xx Junior High School. At my previous school, I ranked first in exams year after year, and my athletic results were often among the best as well."

"I came here to pursue a clear goal in my heart. To achieve it, I'll do everything I can and put in every effort!"

"..."

The overly serious topic and flat tone had the opposite effect, drawing a rather mediocre response.

Only a handful of people applauded.

Standing before the podium, Hirata Yosuke clapped his hands like a heartless assembly-line worker and offered a courteous smile. "You're certainly full of drive... Horikita-san. I'll support your dream too."

"Pfft."

A professional theater actor would not lose his composure on a serious occasion.

Unless he could not hold it in.

The sudden laugh stood out sharply, setting off the suppressed laughter of several others who could not openly laugh.

Horikita Suzune shot him a cold glare, murderous intent showing through her gentle eyes.

Bai Yu knew when to stop.

He resumed a serious expression and swiftly joined the scattered group of people applauding.

Horikita Suzune cleared her throat again. Her face was still somewhat flushed, but she swept her sharp gaze around the room, cutting off the remaining laughter and stares before returning to her seat. It took her a little while to regain her previous calm and dignified demeanor.

Bai Yu happened to observe her once and discovered that a faint expression of unwillingness and considerable grievance had actually appeared on the girl's iceberg-like face.

It was oddly interesting.

For now, he would list her as his second subject for material.

Speaking of which, what should the club be called?

Bai Yu took out the pen he carried with him, flipped his notebook over, and leisurely sank into thought as he looked at a blank page.

Drama Club? Too ordinary. Emotional Studies Club? That sounded a little too deliberately attention-grabbing. Hmm, Literature Club? It would feel like false advertising...

Naming things really was a brain-racking task... Maybe he should ask for someone else's opinion?