"Ding-dong!"
The bell signaling the end of class rang, and the students began to stir. Some were discussing where to go after school, while others were getting ready to head to their clubs with their friends.
For the record, two weeks had passed since the start of the school year. During that time, Chiba Yu had lived the same routine every day: pretending to pay attention in class, sleeping once class was over, and heading straight back to the dorms after school. He was the very picture of a member of the Homebound Club.
As a result, he didn't have many friends in class. Well, if he had to count, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka probably qualified as one, and Horikita Suzune was half a friend. So, as far as making friends went, he'd been a great success.
Just as Chiba Yu finished gathering his books and prepared to head back as usual, Ayanokoji's voice reached him.
"Um, if you two are heading back, I'd like you to come somewhere with me."
???
The remark caught Chiba Yu and Horikita Suzune's attention. Since there was no one else around, he must have been talking to them.
"What are you after?"
"Where are we going?"
Their answers were completely different, yet both made perfect sense.
"So this is where you wanted to bring us?"
Looking at the coffee set down in front of him, Chiba Yu seemed puzzled, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"If I came here alone, wouldn't I stick out?" As he spoke, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka glanced at the students around them. His meaning was clear.
"Fair enough." Seeing that nearly everyone around them was either a couple or part of a group of girls, Chiba Yu understood all too well how intimidating this scene could be for people like them, who were socially awkward.
Still, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't seem like the kind of person who would simply come here to experience the atmosphere.
Sure enough, before the three of them had been seated for long, a familiar figure entered their line of sight.
"Horikita! What a coincidence. Oh, Chiba and Ayanokoji are here too."
Kushida Kikyo was currently the most popular person in the class after Hirata.
Seeing her, Chiba Yu understood why Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had invited them here so uncharacteristically today. He'd gone to all this trouble because someone had asked him to.
"What a coincidence. Do you three come here often?"
"No, we just happened to come today."
"I see. I..."
"I'm going back!" While the two were still talking, Horikita Suzune seemed to realize something and bluntly announced her departure before rising from her seat.
"But we just got here," Ayanokoji Kiyotaka said.
Horikita Suzune merely glanced at Chiba Yu, who was quietly drinking coffee beside her, and at Kushida Kikyo, who was looking at her with concern. Then she said firmly, "You already have him here to keep you company, so you don't need me. And now Kushida is here too. There's nothing left for me to do, is there?"
Chiba Yu hadn't expected to get dragged into this just by sitting quietly and drinking coffee. He sighed helplessly to himself.
After Horikita Suzune laid out her reasoning, Kushida admitted that today's "chance" encounter had been arranged in advance. Chiba Yu found the whole thing boring.
Heh. He'd thought it was something important, but it turned out she just wanted to "be friends" with Horikita.
"Horikita, please be my friend!" With everyone watching, Kushida gathered her courage and spoke to Horikita with determination.
"I'd rather you leave me alone. I won't cause trouble for the class."
That was a cold thing to say.
"But you're always by yourself. Don't you feel lonely?" Kushida still didn't want to give up.
"I never feel lonely when I'm alone. It's a complete waste of time."
A wandering, solitary soul needed no bonds, and those who stood alone did not feel lonely because of it.
After saying this to Kushida, Horikita picked up her bag and turned to leave without looking back. Even when Ayanokoji Kiyotaka tried to persuade her again, she paid him no mind.
And so, only the three of them remained. The atmosphere wasn't exactly pleasant; in fact, it had grown rather quiet.
"What about you, Chiba?"
"Hm? Me?" Chiba Yu blinked, clearly not expecting to be involved next.
"Yes. I've actually wanted to be friends with you too, Chiba, but you're always asleep after class, and you leave as soon as school's over. I never get the chance."
Only then did Chiba Yu understand why Ayanokoji hadn't just invited Horikita today. He'd been waiting to spring this on him too.
"Sure." As he spoke, Chiba Yu took out his phone and held it up for Kushida to see.
"Really?" Kushida looked delighted and eagerly took out her own phone.
What a hypocrite. No one would like this woman's true self, yet she still put on this charming act. Chiba Yu couldn't help admiring how far she was willing to go to keep it up.
His face still as calm as ever, Chiba Yu exchanged phone numbers with her. Then he picked up his bag and slowly walked out of the café, leaving Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Kushida behind.
Where to go next? That was the serious question facing Chiba Yu now.
He'd originally planned to head straight back to the dorms as usual. But then he thought about how, since arriving at the school, he'd barely gone anywhere except to buy daily necessities at the store. His energy-saving self promptly decided to take a walk outside.
That was all well and good, but where should he go?
"Eh? Isn't that Chiba?"
As Chiba Yu walked along, a group approached him. Following the voice, he saw Hirata, Karuizawa, Matsushita, and a few others gathered together, apparently on their way to some activity.
"Good afternoon."
"Are you heading back, Chiba?" Hirata asked, stepping forward to meet me.
"Um... something like that." It wasn't a clear answer, but it wasn't exactly wrong either.
After exchanging greetings, I thought Hirata and the others would let me go. But things didn't seem to be turning out the way I'd imagined.
"We're just about to go to karaoke together. Want to come, Chiba?"
"..." Chiba Yu fell silent. He wanted to run, but couldn't think of a good excuse to leave. While he frantically searched for one, Hirata stepped forward again, smiling warmly at him.
"It's more fun with a bigger group. Besides, you don't have anything planned right now, do you? Think of it as a personal favor to me. What do you say?"
Damn it, this guy was unbearably kind. Why did he give off such a warm, easygoing, nice-guy vibe?
"Um... but wouldn't I be imposing on you?" Chiba Yu tilted his head slightly and glanced at Karuizawa and the others standing behind Hirata.
"I'm sure everyone would be fine with it."
"...Sigh..."