After Hirata offered to treat everyone, they all went to the Student Cafeteria together. The only ones still in the classroom were Horikita and Ju Ji.
Hirata had invited them too, but he had already helped Ju Ji so much with today's events. How could Ju Ji shamelessly ask him to pay for a meal as well? As for Horikita, she simply wasn't comfortable in crowded places.
"Aren't you going with the others? Hirata invited you too, didn't he, Shinomiya?"
"No. I'd make them uncomfortable if I went. After what happened today, someone's bound to want to kill me. But what about you, Horikita? Is it really okay not to go? You won't make any friends that way."
To be honest, Ju Ji had never expected Horikita to start a conversation with him. Given her antisocial nature, it was like seeing the sun rise in the west. He supposed it counted as progress.
She was completely different from her usual self, which radiated an unmistakable "Don't talk to me" vibe. Was she acting this way because she'd decided he could be useful to her?
"I don't need to get along with them. You're the one who should feel sorry for yourself, Shinomiya. At this rate, you won't make a single friend in all three years of high school."
Ju Ji was already an outsider in the class because of what had happened during his self-introduction. Now, after this, making friends would become even more difficult. It was understandable that Horikita looked at him with pity.
"As for friends, one or two close ones are enough."
"Coming from someone with only four people in his contacts? That's exactly what someone with no friends would say."
"Huh? Then show me your contacts. Let's see who has more!... Ow!"
Unfortunately, in their contest to drag up each other's sore spots, Ju Ji angered Horikita and was punished with her compass. He'd lost—badly.
"Thanks for today. You sacrificed a lot to help us get into Class A."
Horikita turned her head away, seemingly trying to hide her embarrassment. It seemed like saying thank you was very difficult for her.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I did it for myself. Besides, once everyone learns the truth a month from now, the person who led this whole thing will definitely be seen differently. Making friends won't be hard then."
Ju Ji wasn't lying. He really had done it for himself. Kikyo, Hirata, and Horikita had all been used by him. He'd been the one who benefited the most from the presentation. Quite a few people liked him less now, but some others had warmed to him considerably.
Ju Ji had also earned a lot of Friendship Points from it, bringing his total to the unprecedented height of 2,500. Surely, once his classmates in Class D changed their attitudes, he'd earn even more points.
"Hah. Hirata and Kikyo were the ones who led this, weren't they? You only suggested the idea and stood up there to explain it."
Horikita's prickly manner had disappeared, and she'd returned to her usual self. Ju Ji was more accustomed to her this way.
After saying that, Horikita took a sandwich that looked delicious out of her backpack and began eating. She didn't seem interested in talking to Ju Ji.
Rumble~
Maybe it was because lunchtime had arrived, but Ju Ji's stomach started rumbling too. He wondered where Horikita had bought her sandwich. He wanted to try one, but this clearly wasn't the right moment to ask.
If he went to the Student Cafeteria, he'd be surrounded by students eating in groups. Ju Ji didn't think he could handle that kind of atmosphere. Looks like he'd have to make do with a sweet bun from the convenience store.
"What? You want one of my sandwiches? I bought an extra, but I can't finish it anyway. Take it and do whatever you want with it—throw it away or eat it."
As if she'd noticed Ju Ji looking, Horikita took another sandwich out of her backpack and tossed it at him.
Horikita was lying. If she couldn't finish it, why had she bought an extra? She'd obviously prepared it in advance and was just waiting for the right moment to give it to him. Too bad tsunderes had fallen out of fashion. Otherwise, someone like Horikita would surely have been popular.
In fact, thanks to Horikita's striking looks, quite a few boys in Class D liked her. It was just that her usual cold, unapproachable attitude kept them from talking to her.
He peeled back the sandwich's plastic wrap and was about to take a bite when music came over the PA system.
[The club orientation will be held today at five p.m. in the First Gymnasium. Students interested in joining a club, please gather in the First Gymnasium. I repeat, today...]
A cute female voice came through the speakers. A club orientation, huh... Ju Ji had only attended one back in college, in his previous life, and hadn't actually gone to many club activities afterward. So he was pretty curious about the clubs at this school. He didn't intend to join one, but he was still interested in taking a look.
"Horikita..."
"I'm not interested in clubs."
"No, I just wanted to say this sandwich tastes awful. Don't buy it again... Ow."
Honestly, this woman made no sense. He'd better keep his distance from her in the future—at least far enough away to avoid her compass. If he didn't watch out, his arm would soon be covered in compass puncture marks.
"Fine... I was joking. The sandwich is pretty good. I'm interested in the club orientation. Could you come with me?"
"Why? I already said I'm not interested in clubs."
"I heard the Student Council will be involved in the club orientation too."
"Well, I suppose I can come with you."
Horikita wasn't interested in making friends or joining clubs, but Ju Ji knew she was definitely interested in the Student Council her older brother was part of. All he had to do was mention that the Student Council would be involved, and she'd agree to go. In a way, she was pretty easy to persuade.
Actually, Ju Ji could have gone to the club orientation alone, even without inviting Horikita. But surely most of the students attending would go with their friends. If Ju Ji were the only one there by himself, he'd probably end up wanting to run away.
"Didn't you say you weren't interested in clubs?"
"That's true, but you're going because you want to make friends, right, Ju Ji? It'll be amusing to watch you go to all that pointless trouble trying to make some."
Horikita's reason was pretty flimsy, but Ju Ji had achieved what he wanted: someone to go with him. That was enough. And Horikita wasn't entirely wrong. He was going to the club orientation to see if he could find anyone who shared his interests and maybe become friends with them. He'd earn some Friendship Points along the way, too.
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