Absolute Choice Ayanokoji

6. Settling In

2. GO TO THE CLUB FAIR WITH HORIKITA.

A pain scale is a tool used to measure the pain experienced by a patient. Generally on a linear scale from 1 to 5 or 10, pain scales are crucial for determining the type, duration, and intensity of pain. Pain scales are vital in treating patients, as they often aid in the selection and evaluation of treatment. Pain scales are also sometimes used as methods to prioritize patients awaiting treatment, as well as a means to form a diagnosis.

Yes, this hurts.

Certainly, going to the club fair with Horikita would not be a difficult task; it could in fact repair my relationship with the ice princess. However, if options like this continue, Absolute Choice would no longer have any choices. I would be a slave to the amusement of some foreign power.

On the other hand, if the options were in fact different, but only looked the same, then I would be playing dice with my future, sailing blindly into the next moment. Such a situation could be even worse than not having a choice, as I would even lack the ability to know my next move.

Knowing nothing of what the future held, I selected #2.

The classroom door immediately swung open, revealing a strict-looking girl with purple hair tied into twin buns. She had bangs over one of her eyebrows, much like a pirate's eyepatch. Radiating an air of confidence, she positioned herself to address the class.

"Attention, Class 1-D. Behold the 3812nd student council president of the Advanced Nurturing High School, the genius of Class 3-A who stands at the apex of the school. Horikita Manabu will be gracing you with his presence. He demands to meet with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka."

6.2

Buy one, get one free.

Conversations broke out throughout the class, many students pointing to me and whispering. I heard the words "delinquent" and "trouble" being tossed around.

And soon enough, the tall dark-haired student in question revealed himself. Standing at the doorway and adjusting his glasses, he appeared annoyed with the girl who had introduced him in such a pompous manner. He gestured for me to come towards him.

The female Horikita trembled slightly, an odd reaction for someone not seeing their sibling for over two years. I made eye contact with her for a split second, but she immediately returned her focus to her elder brother, staring at him unblinking.

I walked towards the elder Horikita, wondering what he had to say. Of course, the reason for his appearance was my Absolute Choice decision, but how would he justify it? Did Absolute Choice modify his behaviour, making him feel as though he had to meet me? Or was he forced to meet me somehow? Despite the gravity of the situation, I remained curious.

If the situation was the former, and his thoughts were modified to desire a meeting with me, was he free? Did he have free will?

As I left the classroom, the purple-haired girl closed the door behind me. I was now alone with two strangers. Well, to be fair, in my classroom I was alone with 39 strangers, so it didn't make much of a difference.

Horikita Manabu motioned for the girl to leave us alone. She scuttled away with a strange pink tint on her face. As she moved out of sight, the girl gave a quick glance at Manabu. As expected of the student council president.

"Ayanokoji. You are a rather interesting fellow, are you not?"

"No."

When being questioned by the police, it often helps to not reveal more information that necessary. In 1950, police had coerced a certain Timothy Evans into strangling his wife and infant daughter, despite the man having done nothing. His statements were twisted until even Evans began to believe that he was the cause of his family's death, and was later executed by hanging in the same year. Three years later, it was discovered that Evans' family were killed by his neighbor, a serial killer named John Christie.