Class-E, The Experiments

Chapter IV: Modesty is a vastly overrated virtue. ― John Kenneth Galbraith

Kiyotaka Ayanokōji POV

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As we arrive at the cafeteria, I scan the scene. The layout is clearly divided by age: third years sit furthest from the entrance, second years occupy the middle, and we, the first years, are closest to the doors. After quickly grabbing my lunch—a cheap option that only cost 95 private points—I follow Matsushita as she heads toward a table where her friends are already gathered.

It didn't take long for me to spot the flaw in my plan. All of Matsushita's friends—Satō Maya, Shinohara Satsuki, and Mori Nene—were female. It wasn't that I had a problem with being outnumbered, but I could feel the potential awkwardness seeping in as we approached the table. Matsushita had clearly decided where we'd sit, and it appeared I was going to be the only guy surrounded by a group of girls.

Quite troublesome indeed.

Alright, time to engage "social interaction mode." Just follow the basic rules: act normal, don't be weird, don't be a pervert. That should be enough to survive this ordeal.

Matsushita and I reached the table, and I gave a slight nod of greeting to the others. Satō, Shinohara, and Mori were already mid-conversation, and for a moment, I considered whether it would be best to simply listen in or attempt to contribute. Matsushita motioned for me to sit next to her, which I did.

"Hey, Matsushita! Who's your friend?" Shinohara asked, giving me a curious glance.

I glanced at Matsushita, figuring it would be best to let her do the introductions. She smiled and gestured toward me. "This is Ayanokōji Kiyotaka, he's in our class. I don't know if you've met yet."

"Ah, I see," Satō said with a nod. "Nice to meet you, Ayanokōji-kun."

"Yeah, nice to meet you," Mori added, looking a little less enthusiastic but polite enough.

"Likewise," I said, keeping my tone neutral. Internally, I was trying to assess how best to navigate this situation. Matsushita had called me a friend earlier, but I was still figuring out what exactly that meant in the context of this school.

The conversation at the table resumed quickly, revolving around casual topics: a TV show that was apparently quite popular, the latest gossip about other first years, and plans for the weekend. I wasn't particularly interested in any of it, but I kept my attention on the discussion, nodding occasionally to show I was at least somewhat engaged. It was strange, this social dynamic. Part of me had expected to feel out of place, but surprisingly, I found it... manageable.

Matsushita leaned over slightly, lowering her voice. "You okay so far?"

I glanced at her and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good," she said, giving me a small smile before returning her attention to the group.

The lunch continued without much incident. Occasionally, one of the girls would ask me a question or direct a comment toward me, and I'd respond as minimally as possible while still appearing polite. It seemed to work well enough. No one appeared to think I was acting too strangely, at least for now.

Still, this wasn't the peaceful, uneventful lunch I had envisioned for myself. But I suppose I'll have to get used to this sort of thing if I plan on maintaining even the semblance of a social life. At the very least, I had avoided embarrassing myself so far, and that was something.

Somehow, I did receive some attention from somewhere, as I could feel the weight of someone's eyes on me. However, I decided to act ignorant. If someone had something to say, they would have to say it to my face. There was no point in letting my imagination run wild over a few glances.