-Ayanokoji's POV-
Standing just outside the dorm's elevator, my head tilted upwards at an angle, watching as the elevator indicator gradually counted down.
The time was currently 7:30 in the afternoon. We all, as in my study group and a few others, agreed to meet up at the movie theatre at around 7:45.
Our study sessions had each ended at around 5 and 6 respectively which left adequate room for preparation. Also the walk from here to the theatre would take 10 minutes at most, so there was no way for anyone to arrive late without solid reasoning.
I wouldn't be surprised if I was the last one to arrive even after leaving early.
The indicator chimed as the metal doors swung open with a smooth motion.
"Hey, Ayanokoji-kun!" Kushida's captivating voice caressed my ears as she regarded me with a beaming smile and a wave.
I stood rooted in place as I observed her figure. She wore a yellow, blue, and white plaid skirt that stopped above her knees along with a white long sleeve turtleneck that just barely hid the straps of her cream brazier with its thin fabric.
My eyes trailed to her chest. 'Those look heavy... I wonder if she needs any help holding them up.' A fleeting temptation to reach out crossed my mind, but fortunately I stopped myself from commiting to anything criminal and ambled inside the carrier.
"You seem excited." I said, standing next to our class angel, "Are you looking forward to the movies that much?" The alluring scent of peaches wafted off her frame as her crimson eyes fluttered to a close.
"Of course!" Kushida chuckled, "It's my first time going out with you guys afterall. Plus, there's this new movie I've been meaning to watch so this works out pretty well."
"I see." I drawled monotonously, "What is the movie called?"
Her head tilted slightly, hand going to her chin with a gesture so cute that it would make any boy's heart flutter, "Ehm, I think its name was...Edge of Morrow—or something along those lines. Mii-chan recommended it to me a while back but I haven't gotten around to it yet."
"Do you think it's any good?" I asked.
"I don't know. She seemed really excited while talking about it though and apparently it's really popular too so, yeah, I guess."
"Well, then we'll watch that one." I commented, prompting a look of surprise from the girl with beige hair, "You don't have to, Ayanokoji-kun, I can watch it alone afterwards so lets go with what you guys want instead."
"That's alright, I didn't have a particular movie in mind when I suggested we go." I answered truthfully, "It's probably the same for the others too. Besides, instead of watching it alone, you could use this chance to get closer to Horikita. Maybe you'll actually succeed this time."
Kushida's brows lifted as she regarded me with a half-hearted smile, "Well, if you put it like that I can't exactly refuse now can I?"
The elevator door slid shut and I clicked the button for the ground floor before my hands slinked into my pants pockets.
A brief silence befell the metal box as it began its gradual descent with a low hum. That silence was short lived, however, as Kushida decided to strike up another conversation.
"Say, Ayanokoji-kun..." She began, "Do you think Horikita-san and I can actually become friends?" She asked me, her crimson eyes softening while regarding me with something of a hopeful glint.
If I said no outright, she would probably start sulking but if I said yes then she'd become too enthusiastic and end up even more down in the dumps when Horikita rejects her advances.
Even though I doubt negativity would turn her away from trying to form a bond with Horikita, it wouldn't exactly help with its progression either.
At any rate, I'll have to come up with an answer that isn't too hopeful or overly dismal so she will be in the right mood for today's outing.
Thinking on it for a while, I quickly provided my response. Whether it would work or not I left up to chance.
"Well, seeing as she took the initiative to contact you first, I wouldn't say it's impossible. And if I remember correctly, she did say she would contact you again if our study group succeeds." I said, shifting my eyes to the sliding door as our metal carriage gradually slowed its descent.
"But the way I see it," I continued, "Her proposal's just an excuse to get closer to you in her own way."
The door slid open with both of us staring straight into the dorm's empty lobby.
Well, mostly empty.
Four boys were loitering around by the exit, one of which had a phone to his ear while the rest chatted amongst themselves.
They were all still dressed in their uniforms even though school hours had already ended.
"Really? I...don't think that's the case." Kushida's soft voice reached my ear, subsequently drawing my gaze. She eyed the ground; a bit perplexed.
"Why?" I asked.
Sighing, Kushida stepped out of the elevator with me and stood with her head lowered, "I just find it hard to believe that I'll ever get to have a genuine relationship with Horikita-san..."
"When I tried to approach her all those other times, she was always cold and shut me out." The beige beauty continued to elaborate on her reasoning, "At one point I thought she didn't want any female friends since she only talks with you and Monty-kun, but after seeing how little you guys actually spoke I realized you weren't really all that close to begin with either..."
As Kushida went on, I glanced over at the boys by the exit, and immediately I regretted it.
The malicious intensity of their gazes suggested they had mistaken the situation.
They probably thought I was going out with Kushida—I mean we were going out, but not in the way they might think.
"...She only spoke to Sudo-kun because letting him get expelled won't help her get to Class A." Oh, right, she was still talking. "They had a purely circumstantial relationship so I wouldn't be surprised if she only spoke to me because she needed my help with the study group."
Voicing her insecurities, Kushida's head lowered even further while pinching the hem of her skirt. I remained silent for a while longer and left her words to hang in the air.
This was a first. I've never seen Kushida look so troubled before. Does the prospect of not befriending Horikita irk her that much?
Disregarding her goal of being everyone's pal, it almost seems like she'll collapse from the anxiety if she's denied the chance indefinitely.
"I agree." I spoke, nodding, "Like her rationale with Sudo, that was probably the main reason why she contacted you."
Kushida's eyes widened, "So you mean—"
"However that doesn't mean it was her sole reason behind interacting with you." I cut her off before her thoughts spiralled.
"This might be hard to believe, but Horikita isn't selfish. She's a rather considerate person, in fact. I came to that realization back when I invited her to the Pallet so you could try and talk with her."
Taking my hands from my pockets, I reached down and gently pried the girl's fingers from her plaid skirt and clasped onto them, "Back then, she had nothing to gain from accepting my invitation but still she went along with me because she knew I had no one else to ask."
Pausing for a moment, my gaze veered off to the side, "Although, she did try to have me go with Monty instead. Luckily he got up and left as soon as she set her sights on him or else she might not have come."
"Pfft...." Her warm palms almost slid out of my loose grip as she snickered.
Sans Horikita, this was the first time I've ever held a girl's hand, the feeling was quite pleasant. I almost felt tempted to not let go. Even more so because said hand belonged to Kushida.
But all good things must come to an end eventually.
The boys by the exit glared at me with avid hostility as they quietly observed my and Kushida's interaction while whispering to each other.
The one on the phone, however, didn't seem all that bothered by our perceived intimacy and instead continued talking on his device while openly staring at us.
"Anyhow, my suggestion is that you remain optimistic about her intentions. They might surprise you." I finished with that.
At my words, Kushida's crimson gaze lifted to meet mine while our hands slowly separated. She was smiling at me.
Looks like physical contact really is effective when dealing with matters of the mind.
Physical contact, in this instance, hand-holding, can help to reduce anxiety by stimulating the release of oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine; all of which are hormones that promote feelings of trust and connection between the stimulator and their recipient.
During our previous talk, while it might not have been intentional, it explains why Kushida was so touchy with me. Not that I would complain.
"I guess I'll have to take your word for it then." Kushida chirped. Her phone pinged, drawing her attention.
Upon checking her device, her eyes widened like pin pricks as she snatched my hand, "This is bad Ayanokoji-kun, its 40 minutes past 7! We'll be late!"
Kushida sped off in a rush, speed walking through the crowd of boys.
"Afternoon, Ishizaki-kun, Komiya-kun!" She took the time to greet two of the four boys as she opened the door. There was no mention of the names belonging to the other two, most likely because Kushida hadn't acquainted herself with them as yet.
It seems Ishizaki was the one on the phone as he immediately nodded to Kushida upon hearing her call. Komiya, on the other hand, waved at the girl with a cheery smile.
With that same happy look, he showed me his middle finger when Kushida turned away. His earlier hostility had magically disappeared, however.
That gesture... Was it some sort of message? Perhaps it was his way of informing me that we had cleared up the misunderstanding or maybe he'd forgiven me for purposefully rubbing it in?
Either way, I felt compelled to reciprocate the gesture.
I proceeded to show off my middle finger before the door closed, but his reaction was different than what I had anticipated.
They all regarded me with a look of surprise and mild disbelief with Komiya chuckling to himself exasperatedly. He was openly hostile again.
Kushida and I trudged along in brisk silence while I stared at my outstretched middle finger with intrigue.
...Did I misassume what it meant? I should probably search up what this means before using it again.
I wouldn't want to accidentally trigger another aversive reaction, afterall.
-.-
-Monty's POV-
Leaning against the theatre's outer wall, I closed my eyes as I listlessly propped a leg upon it. My arms were crossed in front of me. The afternoon breeze brushed past my face, lightly tousling my hair and the ends of my dark colored clothing.
Even though it's barely been over a month since the begining of the school year, first through third years were eagerly ordering a bunch of movie tickets.
Apparently, they were all lining up to watch a new action movie titled "Edge of Tomorrow".
I had no prior knowledge of the film. However, I learned it's cultural significance through the fragmented conversations around me. The excitement surrounding it wasn't merely due to its American production value but the national pride attached to Hiroshi Sakurazaka's novel, "All you need is Kill".
Even students who typically showed no interest in such things found themselves swept into the hype.
Yamauchi and Ike were the perfect examples of this.
"Man, I can't believe I'm getting to watch a block buster like this as soon as it's released! With a 20% discount too! Talk about luck!" Ike shouted happily while thrusting his inscribed ticket to the heavens.
Yamauchi matched his enthusiasm.
"Yeah, it only costs 1800 points buuut if it wasn't for this school's funds you probably wouldn't be able to afford it for another 2 years, haha!"
Scowling at the blatant shade, Ike immediately replied with a counter, "Well, you wouldn't be any better off either. It's not like your family's rich like Koenji's. Heck, I doubt it's even anywhere near mine!"
"Haha, oh Kanji, I'll have you know that I'm the long lost son of Elon Tusk." The short haired boy puffed out his chest with pride.
At that, Ike's grin took a condescending turn.
"If I had a son as ugly as you I'd have lost him too."
"Excuse you?! I'm 100 times better looking than you'll ever be!"
"Sure, man. Whatever helps you sleep at night."
Ike turned his gaze to the bustling street after checking his phone, "Anyway...when do you think Ayanokoji and Kushida-chan will arrive? It's already a couple minutes to 8."
"Ion know," Yamauchi answered, stepping out into the street and looking on expectantly, "But they should be here soon though."
As the two idiots conversed about irrelevant topics, Horikita, Chiaki and Sudo walked over.
Unlike how it seemed, all three of them were coming from different places.
Horikita had just finished scouting the different rooms. It was so that she could avoid any run ins with our other classmates. On the other hand, Chiaki went over to the food stand to purchase a drink and Sudo was returning from the bathroom.
Stopping next to me, the red haired delinquent pulled up his black pants, revealing his white socks and squatted with a languid yawn. His cream shirt was left unbuttoned, its ends swaying lightly in the gentle breeze. He also had on a white undershirt that had multiple black ticks on it to represent its brand.
If our classmates saw him now, they might have thought Sudo was auditioning for a fashion show. Whether he was aware of his enhanced looks or simply dressed as he pleased, however, was another question entirely.
In contrast to him, Horikita's beauty was drastically downplayed by her style of clothing. She wore a navy blue dress that ended at her knee along with a pink open front shirt and a white button up.
Despite not being as eye catching, her clothes still served its purpose.
As for Chiaki, her outfit neither contributed to or lessened her looks.
Silently enjoying her slushy, the aforementioned girl observed the slowly growing crowd while humming to herself before suddenly clutching her head with a prolonged hiss, "Ugh... brain freeze."
Horikita crossed her arms while eyeing the blue eyed girl, "Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, it'll alleviate the effects faster." Chiaki nodded and complied.
"Whaaat? That'll never actually work." Yamauchi snorted mockingly.
"It does. See." Horikita gestured towards Matsushita who looked rather impressed with the efficacy of the girl's advice. She was once again sipping on her beverage.
"Huh, so it does work..." Yamauchi muttered before snorting, "I knew that."
"Right..." Horikita exhaled quietly, unimpressed, but saw no point in correcting him further.
She turned to me.
"I don't suppose Ayanokoji-kun and Kushida-san have arrived yet have they?"
I merely shook my head. At that, the girl's annoyance seemed to gradually increase with the narrowing of her eyes.
She probably just wanted to get this over with and head back to her dorm where she won't be bothered for the rest of the day.
Lifting my gaze up to the dark golden sky, I immediately shifted my attention to the hanging sign of the movie theatre.
The bold letters of neon pink looked even more stunning in the light of the setting sun.
I suppose I should enjoy the scenery while I have the cha—
"You're late." My head tilted slightly. I looked over my shoulder as Kushida came into view with Ayanokoji quietly ambling next to her.
Unlike her, Ayanokoji didn't seem at all winded.
"Ha, Haha, sorry about that. We kinda got...held up talking." Kushida answered, taking the time to regulate her breathing.
Shifting her gaze to the duo's interlocked hands, Horikita's gaze lingered a while, "It must've a been very important discussion."
"Yeah, must've really been Very.Important." Ike forced out. His bloodshot eyes bulged out of his head as he draped an arm around Ayanokoji's shoulder.
He flexed his nonexistent muscles. "Why don't we have a niiice chat over there?"
"Yeah, let's talk." Yamauchi interjected, mimicking Ike's actions as they dragged the poor boy away from the group.
Sudo stared at the brown haired boy, shellshocked while absentmindedly muttering, "No way..."
"Why's everyone acting so weird?" Kushida asked, confused.
From her reaction, they were more than likely misinterpreting her words.
Horikita seemed to be contemplating for a while before eventually discarding whatever thoughts she was having with a huff.
She looked over her shoulder, seeing Ike and Yamauchi shaking the life out of Ayanokoji while crying, "It's nothing. You should both purchase your tickets, they're almost sold out."
Horikita gestured to the line behind her. Kushida looked over the girl's shoulder and a small smile graced her face as her gaze landed upon the poster above the head of the receptionist.
It seems she was also looking forward to watching that movie. It's a good thing we chose it then.
"Alright, I'll go get mine now." She said before turning to the conversing trio. "Ayanokoji-kun, I'll buy your ticket for you alright? You don't have to pay me back."
"Ah, okay." He answered simply.
Suddenly, he found himself face to face with Sudo who grabbed both his shoulders, "Teach me your ways."
I couldn't see his face, but I imagine that he was staring at Ayanokoji with a disturbing amount of admiration right now.
Ike soon latched onto his arm and brought it to his nose for a prolonged whiff, "Ahh, Kushida-channnn, how could you!"
"Dammit, Ayanokoji you backstabber!" Yamauchi hid his face behind his forearm while accusing the poor fellow.
Snatching his hand from Ike's grasp, he took a step back.
"Seriously, what's up with you guys? You're all acting weird."
"What's up? Whaddya mean what's up?!" Ike began, desperately grabbing him by the collar with watery eyes, "You stole my angel you monotone bastard!"
"C'mon man, teach me how you did it!" Sudo urged.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Seriously. Kushida and I are just friends."
Yamauchi didn't seem convinced, "Oh yeah? then why were you two holding hands huh?! Explain that!"
"That's because we were in a hurry. Kushida didn't want to lose track of me so she held my hand. It's not like it was intentional or anything."
"...What? That's all?"
"Yes."
Sudo looked somewhat disappointed by this revelation.
"I don't believe you."
Ike's eyes narrowed and Ayanokoji sighed. "Could you guys please let go of me now? It's difficult to move around when you're this close."
"Haha, you devious bastard, you just wanted a few seconds of fame didn't you?" Yamauchi's mood flipped like a switch as he and the rest backed off.
"I'm pretty sure you're the ones who started flocking me."
"Yeah yeah, anyhow, you sure you don't have a girlfriend you're not telling us about?"
Their ability to switch from emotional extremes in a beat was honestly impressive to witness.
Chiaki continued happily slurping on her slushy with as she silently enjoyed the unfolding chaos. She siddled up next to me with a smirk, "Aren't you gonna ask him for love advice too?"
I gave her a sidelong glance, "I'll pass."
"Aww, why not~ do you think it's embarrassing?" She teased, playfully nudging my side.
"Not at all, there's simply no use taking advice from someone just as inexperienced as me in the subject."
Because of the earlier commotion, a lot of eyes were glued to our backs.
Chiaki hummed thoughtfully before raising a finger and tapping it against my nose. "Wrong. He does have more experience than you."
I turned my full attention to her. "Prove it."
"Ha, that's easy." Her smug expression deepened as she lightly pressed her index finger against the dome of my nose. "He's already held hands with a girl, but you haven't."
I let her words linger, in the air while pretending to consider them. Then, I reached up and gently slid my fingers between hers, maintaining eye contact all the while. I smiled.
"I guess this makes us even then."
Chiaki froze. Her palm was cold from holding her slushy for so long, yet it was soft; like a doughy snowball.
I felt the subtle tension in her grip and the momentary hesitation as her brows lifted slightly. Though her cup was empty, she continued to sip through the straw. It was an unconscious reaction to being caught off guard.
She released a prolonged breath; lowering her head slightly before muttering, "Fine, you made your point." She pulled her hand away and stuffed it into her pocket.
"Was that all I needed to debunk your argument?" I questioned. At that, she rolled her eyes.
Without another word, she walked off, discarding the empty cup before heading into room 2 of 12.
A few figures made their way towards me.
When I looked over at them, an overwhelming feeling overcame my being.
It was disappointment.
"PLEASE TEACH ME YOUR WAYS MASTER!!" The trio shouted in unison whilst bowing before me.
Now, even more people were looking in our direction, their expressions conveying confusion and mild aversion.
I took a step back to distance myself. Their unabashed brazenness was simply astonishing.
Adjusting my glasses, I glanced across the street towards a girl with yellow hair.
She didn't notice my gaze due to my glasses being tinted and continued conversing on her phone. She watched a group of Class B dtudents pass by before returning her attention to ours.
Her expression had shifted from an irked frown to a condescending grin within a matter of seconds.
Moments later, Horikita rounded a bend. Her crimson gaze found Ike, Yamauchi and Sudo bowing in front if me.
"What are—nevermind." Though confused, she refused to question the situation. Instead, she held back a sigh while massaging her temples.
"The movie will begin screening soon. I've already secured our seats with Kushida-san and Matsushita-san in room 2 so you should all purchase whatever you need before heading in."
At some point, Horikita had left with Kushida. From her mild frustration I'm guessing she's already growing tired of talking with her.
She must've been elated to have a breath of fresh air when Chiaki entered the room.
"Ayanokoji and I will place the orders." I said, looking over to the aforementioned male, "Ask Kushida what she wants to eat." He nodded silently to my command and retrieved his phone from his pocket, typing.
"And you three?" I huffed, turning to the still bowing trio. They dusted off their knees as they got up off the ground and spoke in unison, "Whatever you desire, master!!"
I cringed, "...I see. You're free to go."
"Yes master!!" They all saluted me before making their way into the designated room.
Horikita looked at me scornfully while taking a step back.
"They think I'm a love guru." I simply stated.
Ayanokoji was already aware of this development, but Horikita wasn't. So her returning to see them bowing to me without context was bound to cause a misunderstanding.
"Why?" She asked. But I decided to skip the subject.
"Will you buy anything?"
Realizing I wasn't going to elaborate, she replied after a while of thought, "No. I'll be going then."
Turning on her heels, Horikita strode through the lobby and into our movie room.
I slipped a hand into my pocket, fishing out my phone as I proceeded to send Chiaki a message asking for what she wanted to eat before placing it back.
"Ayanokoji." I nodded my head towards the counter.
"Ah, right." We both walked toward the concession stand. The warm scent of buttered popcorn tickled my nose just as frequently as the chatter of the surrounding students assaulted my ears.
"You didn't need to volunteer you know, Horikita seemed like she would've done it for us." Ayanokoji said, his voice as even as ever.
"I know. I just wanted to get away from those three before my brain started melting from the embarrassment." I adjusted my glasses, "You seemed to share the same sentiments so I brought you along."
"I see." Ayanokoji nodded slightly, "Well, thanks, I guess."
As we neared the counter, a group of second-years glanced in our direction, their eyes lingering for a moment longer than necessary before returning to their conversation. It wasn't done out of hostility, but rather curiosity.
"Are you and Matsushita in a relationship?" Ayanokoji asked suddenly.
I regarded him with a curious side eye, "Does it seem that way?"
"I don't know," Glancing up at the ceiling, his hands gradually slipped into his pockets, "But, that's probably the conclusion Sudo, Ike and Yamauchi came to when they saw you two holding hands just now."
He looked over at me with a slight head tilt, "I mean, how else would you explain their sudden subservience?"
"I seem to recall them being all over you for a similar reason."
"That was a misunderstanding." Ayanokoji clarified, "Kushida and I are just friends."
"Chiaki and I are also..." I paused, smiling wryly, "Just friends."
"Hmm." The brown eyed teen hummed softly at my words, his gaze gradually lowering to the empty countertop, "...While we're on that topic, wasn't Matsushita going to invite a few of her friends to come with us?"
"Yes. That was the idea." I emphasized the was, indirectly implying that, as he could see, that plan had fallen through.
"What happened?"
"Two of them had a falling out earlier during the day. I hear it was caused by a misunderstanding." I said.
[Ding]x2
I retrieved my device. Ayanokoji quietly mirrored my actions. He had gotten a message from Kushida while I received one from Matsushita.
[I'm kinda feeling for a Large popcorn and another slushy. Two of each please (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧] — Is what she typed.
[No.] - Monty (You)
[Tch, cheapskate. Just buy something then.] - Chiaki
Holstering my phone, I glanced over to Ayanokoji who did the same. He answered the impending question.
"Kushida says she wants a medium popcorn and a small sprite. I'll take a water for myself."
I called for the cashier and placed the order: a sprite, two waters, 4 medium popcorn, and a box of candy for Chiaki. If I'd bought another slushy she'd probably complain about there not being any diversity in her delights otherwise.
The cashier nodded and immediately went about the meal's preparation as I waited patiently.
As the cashier handed over our items, I caught a glimpse of Horikita standing near room 2's entrance, arms crossed in front of her. Her expression was unreadable, but from the way her fingers tapped against her arm, I could tell she was growing impatient.
If she was in such a rush, she should've just gone in without us.
Then again, she did leave the room because she wanted to be free of Kushida's chatting.
After paying with my points, I handed Ayanokoji his water, and we made our way back to the group.
I'd spent exactly 6000 points, which brought my total down to 127,000. Aside from necessities, I didn't have a need to touch my points beforehand, so I had retained it all.
We took our seats. Sudo had finally returned to his usual self, though he still sent the occasional glance of admiration towards me. Meanwhile, Ike and Yamauchi had miraculously regained their dignity and chatted like they hadn't just made a public spectacle of themselves.
As time went on, I sighed inwardly.
This was going to be a long night, wasn't it?