The bright shining sun. The infinite blue skies. The rough untamed waves of the seemingly infinite ocean. Spread out for what seemed like miles. This was contrastingly different to our every day lives in a schoolroom.
At 5am today, the first-year cohort had boarded buses and departed for Tokyo Bay, where a cruise liner was awaiting our arrival. This was a government mandated summer trip for our school which would last two weeks. The best thing, especially for the students of Class D, was that any of the ship's facilities were free of charge. Our destination was a fancy summer lodge on a deserted island where we would spend our first week. The remaining week would be once again aboard the ship.
As I watched the birds in the far-off distance, I noticed someone casually approaching me.
"Ayanakouji, enjoying the summer and it's calming charms?" The boy asked, with a slightly suspicious smirk on his handsome face.
"Like everyone on board this luxury liner, it'd be strange if I wasn't."
"Hmm, that's true..."
He drifted off as he took a spot beside me. I was currently leaning against the railing looking out towards the ocean. The boy, Kanera, adopted the opposite stance. With his elbows resting either side on the railing and his back to the waging waters. After momentarily glancing at the other students in our vicinity, most being our very own Class D students, he looked towards the sky and carded a single hand through his flowing black bangs, untamed and wild due to the ocean breeze. A serene smile graced his features and made slight indentations either side of his eyes, giving him an absolute ethereal look as he continued to gaze into the never-ending sky.
Completely unaware, Kanara had attracted not so subtle looks of longing from some girls occupying the deck. Even a few of the boys looked towards him with an exasperated tinge in their stare, annoyed at his ability to attain the attention of the many girls on board. I remember when Kushida told me about the girls' schoolyear rankings. I was surprised when she told me I was an acceptable fifth place in attractiveness, although I wasn't overly shocked when I had heard Kanera was third, right behind Hirata. Kanera was good-looking to a tee, add on his charismatic personality and genuine respect to whomever he talked to. To top it off many would call him humble as he always turned down praise, although I believed there was a deeper meaning, as if he knows his true self is undeserving.
"Did you know..." Kanera began, seemingly uncaring on his desirable position with the fairer sex. "That the distance to the horizon seen at eye level is roughly five kilometres."
So abstract and completely out of nowhere. First of all, he wasn't even looking at the sea! I turned my attention to him and caught him glancing at me out of the side of his eye.
"There's a lot of things to learn outside in the world, just by being there. If one has the curiosity to learn, the answers will follow. Not everything can be learned by ways of the page or passing of the tongue, experience is the best teacher. That is what I believe." Kanera maintained his glance at me as he finished his short monologue, waiting for an answer.
I sighed.
"I agree, hearing about something from another only increases curiosity, it never can satiate that desire alone."
I decided to let out my innermost thoughts to Kanera. With myself being new to this world, so to say, it was difficult to find another who could understand me. Kanera alone, eerie as he may be, was already aware of my personality. If I continued to try and deceive him, he would only gain more answers by sifting through my flimsy schoolboy façade.
"I won't pry, so don't stress, I just enjoy satiating my curiosities when they appear, much like you. It was obvious to me, who's keenly observant, that you were trying to blend in. You had maintained a perfectly normal schoolboy personality." He stated, immediately trying to show he wasn't antagonistic.
"But the thing is Ayanakouji..." Kanera continued, "Is that high school students are anything but perfect. Your flawless execution of what an average high school student should be like is exactly what tipped me off as unnatural."
"I see."
"My bad. My intention wasn't to undermine your hard work," he apologised, genuinely reflecting on his attitude.
"Don't apologise. It's honestly exhausting and inefficient trying to keep it up. More would soon figure it out as you have," I concluded, completely unaffected by the failure.
"Indeed," he affirmed. "Sorry, but I'm also aware you're not a normal high school student in any case."
He was obviously uneasy with the line of direction this conversation went. He exhaled slowly as he closed his eyes, face upturned to the heavens. I gave him time to muse through his thoughts. I wasn't panicked in the slightest, more intrigued as I also didn't think he was a normal high school student in any way either.
"I've wanted to know... do you think I'm a normal high school student?" Kanera asked hesitantly, turning his head to face me.
"Not in the slightest."
"Hah..."
He laughed, obviously relieved. His previous slightly rigid movements eased back into their usual composed calm. As he took a deep breath, he focused his gunmetal green-blue eyes back on me.
"This barely counts as advice, so just take it as my ludicrous musings," he began flippantly. "But my time trying to be a normal high school student led me to be curious about individuals. Many times, in my life I've been used as folly to another's words and caught in lies and deceit. I've learned to listen not to the words which were audible, but to the cues intentionally left out. The white lies. The bending of truth. What they want to say or what they want to keep hidden. It becomes apparent if you interpret both the verbal and non-verbal cues. It's easy to distinguish what is the truth of the heart or what is the bravado of the mind."
He stepped away from the railing and turned to look out towards the horizon. This was the most serious I've seen him and probably what he's naturally like behind his high school student façade.
"Teenagers are interesting creatures. I've noticed you've been more involved recently. To sparing Sudou of suspension and breaking Sakura out of her isolation. You're also getting acquainted with students from other classes... I'm glad, really," Kanera said, fondly. "I really do hope your curiosity of this world bears fruit and that it goes unhindered."
He sighed and faced me straight-on, causing me to mimic him.
"If you need a hand with anything at all, at least put the smallest bit of faith in me, please. I've got your back."
To his words of unnatural sentiment, all I could do was match his gaze and nod. He let free a small good-natured smirk at my silence. I honestly appreciated an insight to his psyche. Even early on he was very attentive to my actions and movements. Of course, there was no way I would trust him unequivocally, my mind doesn't allow, however by him casually addressing topics which could've concerned me, I now know he isn't a threat. His roundabout advice was his way of showing innocence, which I deeply appreciated.
As our unplanned deep and meaningful conversation came to a close, we both turned back to observe the deck, spotting a large group of our classmates walking in our general direction. Kushida, in the lead of the group of girls seemed to notice us and directed the group towards us. Sudou and his gang naturally followed.
"Attention, students. Please assemble on the deck. You will be able to see the island soon. This is a good time to take in some rather significant scenery."
This rather strange announcement issued from the ship's PA. Kushida and the others didn't seem to mind, finally reaching us near the railing. The island appeared on the horizon a few minutes after several students had gathered. Ike let out a gleeful cry.
Other students noticed and began assembling on the deck. After a crowd had gathered, some particularly domineering boys showed up and began pushing us out of the way in order to get the best position.
"Hey, you're in the way. Move it, you defects."
One of the boys tried to intimidate me and shoved my shoulder. In a panic, I quickly grabbed onto the deck's railing to keep from falling. The students laughed scornfully.
"...tch," Kanera expressed his disgust and faced the three boisterous boys along with Sudou.
"Hey, what the hell are you guys doing?!"
Sudou immediately responded, trying to intimidate them right back. Kushida, looking worried, came to my side whilst Kanera moved in front, looking ready to settle the feud peacefully, I thought.
"You do understand how this school is structured, right? Class D doesn't get any human rights. Defects like you are just that—defective—so you should submit. We're all in Class A over here."
The few students from Class D began to depart from the bow of the ship, except for one, who started to laugh.
"Hah... don't stress over these lot Sudou, people who refer to status so simply rarely have anything else to offer," Kanera said icily, standing his ground. The remainder of the students stopped to watch this new development.
"...ah?! You think I have nothing to offer?!" One of the boys off to the side yelled, taking Kanera's bait.
"Of course," Kanera replied coolly, "I'd rather be a proud member of dysfunctional Class D if it allowed me to keep my individuality. But I can respect hiding in the shadows of people superior to you as well, so don't take offense."
The crowd watching broke into snickers as the three boys' annoyance grew. Kanera's whole attitude had shifted from moments prior, deliberately antagonising the class A students was a far-cry off his standard personality.
"I'm sure you must be misunderstanding a bit," the boy in the centre said, whilst placating his annoyed classmates. "I'm in Class A because I have plenty to offer, we're incomparable, Kanera-kun."
"You seem to know me, whereas I have no clue who you are. Maybe you weren't wrong about us being incomparable," Kanera dully replied. The rest of the students aptly watched this confrontation as if it took precedence over the excitement of the incoming island.
"Satonaka Dai," the boy introduced himself.
I've recalled that name once before. If I remember correctly Kushida mentioned him when we were discussing the girl's rankings of the year. This boy in front of me was ranked first on the list of attractiveness. I now understood why the majority of the crowd, except for Sudou's group and myself, were mostly girls. A battle between first and third of their rankings was about to begin.
"Only reason I know you is because you have come up in some of the girl's conversations in Class A."
"Consider me thrilled," Kanera replied, looking anything but thrilled.
"I wasn't going to speak up because I despise squabbles like this, but I thought I had to, just to stabilize your ego. Don't get a false sense of pride just because the girls think your appearance is above acceptable. I recall topping that chart of theirs, you see. You're still below me and my friends, as members of Class A."
The surrounding peanut gallery were whispering as this debate kept escalating. The one collective thought that the consensus came to was that it wasn't Kanera who had the ego problem. If anything, he looked absolutely flummoxed of what came out of Satonaka's mouth. Satonaka meanwhile was pleased with his statement if the grin on his face meant anything.
"Thank you for your nonsensical ramblings which I have barely a clue as to what you're on about. It seems to me that you think you're superior because of your attractiveness?" Kanera sighed, bringing his hand up to palm his forehead.
"Honestly...if I had to compare you to a book. You may have a good cover that is certainly eye-catching, but you utterly lack content which is why the majority would immediately stop reading."
As another set of laughs went up at Satonaka's expense, Kanera tiredly turned back toward us to leave. He glanced back over his shoulder at the stupefied boys and lazily raised his gloved hand.
"See you..."
One of the Class A lackeys wasn't happy at being disrespected and reached out to grab Kanera's shoulder.
"Oi, where the hell do you thi..."
"Let go."
Everyone stilled.
The malice dripping off Kanera's voice sent a chill throughout the observing students. It wasn't a suggestion; it was a cold-blooded order from an icy voice with barely restrained, unbridled hatred. The Class A boy immediately removed his hand and raised his guard as if expecting an attack. No normal person would be willing to reach out to Kanera after witnessing the complete one-eighty from charismatic to threatening in the span of thirty seconds. No normal person other than...
"U-um, Kanera-kun..." Kushida bravely intervened, approaching Kanera cautiously. Whether that was an act or pure uneasiness in her voice I wasn't sure. "Is everything okay?"
As Kushida's hand made contact with his arm there was a collective intake of breath. However it eased when Kanera didn't move from her touch or lash out. He looked up at her with glazed eyes, as if he momentarily detached himself from the situation. "Uh...yeah, thank you, Kushida."
He looked back over his shoulder and addressed the bystanders watching the action unfold.
"Sorry about that guys, I didn't mean to spook you! I've been awfully under the weather recently and I was getting quite frustrated having my friends be insulted."
His genuine tone somewhat soothed the remainder who were shocked at his act of complete delinquency. He was the only one who had moved and he eventually departed the area leaving a multitude of whispers in his wake.
"Please, don't mind him! He's usually so genuine and caring. I beg of you to not hold that against him!" Kushida pleaded with upturned eyes. The previous chill had dissipated due to Kushida's sunshine nature. Kanera should thank her for not letting his credit take a hit. If a universally known trusted student had your back, there was no fear of backlash.
"Ah... yeah, I apologise Kushida-san. I pushed a little too hard with the jokes. It won't happen again," Satonaka pleasantly replied to Kushida. She beamed and the rest of the students followed her lead, putting it behind them as an anomaly.
Our group of Class D students reconvened and proceeded to look out towards the encroaching island. While I could hear Sudou's group and the girls led by Karuizawa talk about the situation that just unfolded, I delved into my thoughts to understand Kanera's personality switch and sudden intimidation. The execution of his threat honestly amazed me; he was certainly telling the truth when he said he wasn't a normal high school student. I can understand to a point how the situation unfolded. He was just recently letting his guard down during his talk with me and was speaking about many things he'd usually keep close to the chest. He already looked drained before the altercation with the Class A students broke out, so when one of them crossed the line and touched him, he snapped.
The situation ran on replay throughout my mind, and I could only think of one question as the ship circled the island before us.
What sort of life did you live before coming to this school, Kanera?
---
Another chapter done and this is technically the start of the Island Arc! To begin with, the island arc will be completely in Kanera's view. I only scarcely switch to other characters when I think the reader needs an outside perspective on Kanera. I quite enjoyed writing this chapter myself but I'm not sure if the quality is up to my normal standard. If you have any complaints, don't be afraid to let me know.
Also this is starting to bring attention to Kanera's somewhat twisted personality and his past. There's actually a lot which will eventually come to light that I'm so excited to write. Feel free to guess if you'd like!
Also Satonaka doesn't have a first name in the actual novels so I gave him the name 'Dai', which basically means 'Shining Child'. Thought it works cause he's meant to be pretty. He'll show up a bit in the future sort of like Kanera's rival who doesn't stand a chance. lol
Updates from now on won't have a set day like usual but I'll try my hardest to at least get one out per week. If I'm not then feel free to yell at me. :)
Thanks again! Peace.