Shoko PoV
What do you mean that was " you" ?
I want to explain it to you face to face.
Please return to your room and sleep.
Okay....
Can...Ayanokoji take over my body if he wishes? Does this mean I can lose control of my body at any moment?
No wonder those moves felt....unnatural to me.
I didn't expect Glasses-senpai nor Horikita to try and actually attack me.
After all, I'm no good at anything related to physical skills.
Absolutely dogwater.
I made it to my room and decided to sleep immediately.
Today has been tiring....
Gathering the idiots for the study group...
The study group inevitably failing....
That little scuffle with Glasses-senpai and a bit with the younger Horikita as well.
And to top it all off, Ayanokoji decided to reveal to me that he can gain a bit of control with my body....
What a fucking shocker.
Well, I'm just going to hope that Horikita will reunite the idiots herself, or at the very least, ask someone else to help her do so.
With that, I decided to close my eyes and drift off to sleep.
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Haah...not this again....
Wait.
I....I can move....
I opened my eyes and quickly looked around.
" It's all white...." I muttered as I found myself in a white room.
This is strange...
I'm not used to moving when I experience this dream sequence...
I slowly stood up.
" Subject 404, please sit on the chair." A voice said.
My head quickly turned to where I heard the voice and I immediately spotted a man in a white lab coat staring at the child through the glass.
What is this? I wondered as I slowly walked towards the man.
Since this was a dream, I could safely assume that the man couldn't see me nor hear me.
I stood beside the man.
He was standing in front of a control panel.
One button had the 'volt' sign...
I looked at the child through the glass.
He was currently strapped to the chair.
Wires were placed on his neck and arms.
" You already know the drill, 404. If you can answer all my questions correctly, then you pass. If you don't, then I have no choice but to give you a little shock." The man said while smirking.
The child through the glass seemingly flinched.
No....this...
" The test will begin." The man announced.
The man asked his first question....
The child answered...
But then....
The man pressed the button and the child experienced an electrifying shock through his neck and arms.
" AHH! I-I'M SORRY!" The child cried.
The man seemingly enjoyed torturing this child.
My eyes widened as I watched the child get shocked repeatedly for each wrong answer he uttered.
I tried to push the man, but I forget that I can't interfere for some unknown reason.
I could only watch as the child gets tortured...
" Stop it..." I muttered over and over.
This was a disturbing sight.
Eventually, the child seemingly fainted.
" It seems like Subject 404 has fainted. Take him away." The man in the coat ordered through the mic.
Two men in lab coats immediately entered the room and unstrapped the child from the chair, and then quickly took him away.
I sighed.
He wasn't dead....
And this test was ove-
" Bring in Ayanokoji Kiyotaka." The man ordered.
" Ayanokoji?" I said in suprise as the door began to open....
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( Setting: Shoko's mind)
I woke up, breathing heavily as I recalled what I had just seen from a few minutes ago.
Men in lab coats...a child was getting tortured......a room of white....
" What the hell is that place..." I muttered as I tried to calm myself down.
They even mentioned Ayanokoji....again.
Had Ayanokoji gone through the same things like that child?
" Kazumi, are you alright? " A voice said.
I looked up infront of me and saw Ayanokoji staring down at my sitting form with a blank expression.
" You look startled," he lends me his hand. " Did something happen?" He asked.
I slowly took his hand and pulled myseld up to stand.
It's just a dream.....you have to remind yourself of that, Shoko....
There was no way that could possibly be real....
" Yeah. I'm okay." I answered Ayanokoji.
" I see...." he trailed off as his eyes seemingly observed my expression.
J-Jeez, it feels like he's staring through my soul or something!
" Oi. Stop staring at me like that!" I scolded. " It's fucking creepy..."
He seemed to snap out of it and quickly averted his gaze. " Sorry, my bad."
I sighed and crossed my arms.
" Anyway, what happened back with Glasses-senpai and Horikita. What was that? You said that it was you dodging those attacks." I asked.
He looks at me once again and nods.
" You may have already guessed, but I managed to gain control of your body just a bit in order to dodge those attacks. " He said.
I raised a brow, " But HOW?"
" We are sharing the same mind, are we not? It probably has to do something with that." He says.
I guess that makes sense...
" But...if you managed to gain control. Then how come I still felt somewhat in control?" I inquired.
" Like I said, I only managed to gain control just a bit in order for you to dodge their attacks. I didn't want to go further than that." He replied.
" I see..." I quickly understood.
Wait, doesn't that mean Ayanokoji can fight any scuffles I accidentally involve myself in?
He has shown me that he is skilled in martial arts or whatever.
" So does that mean that I won't have to be worried if I get into fights? I have you to fight those battles now." I said.
" No." He said flatly.
" Huh? What do you mean! " I said.
He sighs before answering, " If Horikita-senpai continued to attack, we would have lost."
I was shocked.
" Huh? But aren't you better than him?!" I said.
" If I were in my own body, yes. But I'm currently in yours, Kazumi. Your body is not experienced in martial art styles or fighting in general. " he says.
Tch.
So I would've been knocked out by Glasses-senpai if he continued in attacking me.
So it was just like how the saying goes: A proper mind is best paired with a proper body.
And with Ayanokoji's fighting experience....
It won't work well with my body, which has little to no experience in any fights.
Fuck this.
" What a fucking bummer." I subconsciously pouted.
I then noticed Ayanokoji seemingly staring at me with suprise.
" What?" I asked.
" Nothing. You're suprisingly cute when you pout like that, Kazumi." He says.
Cute....huh.
" Thanks...I guess..." I decided to accept his compliment.
I was not really fazed by compliments like this.
They were nice but they don't really make me feel anything special about it.
" Hey, could you come closer? I'm curious about something...." Ayanokoji says as he gestures for me to go to him.
What is he plotting...
This felt incredibly suspicious for some reason.
Despite that, I decided to walk towards him and eventually stood infront of him.
" What is it-" he suddenly threw a punch towards me.
I immediately blocked it with my right arm.
My eyes widened as Ayanokoji slowly pulled his fist back.
" H-Huh?!" I said in shock as I looked at my arm and back to Ayanokoji.
" D-Did...I really just b-block that?" I stuttered.
" It seems so. Who knew my little hypothesis would be correct." Ayanokoji replied.
" Hypothesis? What do you mean?" I quickly asked.
" A little bit ago, I was already thinking about the reason on how I managed to gain control of your body. Naturally, the answe was because we share one mind." He started, " But then, I began to wonder about something else. I wondered if I can somehow add a bit of my knowledge in your head, so you can use it."
" So....you....manually added a movelist inside my head?" I asked.
" Yes. The way you blocked my punch was the proof." He confirms.
" W-Wait, so I can fight?!" I asked in an excited tone.
" Nope." He shuts me down immediately.
" Aw, come on!" I whined.
" Although your body can react to attacks now since I added what I know into your brain. Unfortunately, your body cannot keep up with the moves. Without a doubt, you would have been knocked out in under 5 seconds if you involved yourself in a real fight." He says.
Wow, thanks for the confidence boost....
Jackass.
" Well then, that is shit." I muttered.
" Not exactly. Currently, your body cannot keep up.....but if you start training your body and developing your reflexes.....only then can you use these moves effectively." He says.
" Nope." I immediately rejected the mere idea of working out/exercise.
" I thought you wanted to know how to fight?" He asked.
" Yeah, but I never said anything about working out or exercising. " I deadpanned.
He sighs, " Kazumi, I would normally never want to force you to do anything you don't want to. But this will really benefit you in the long run...." he tries to convince me.
" Hell nah." I stubbornly rejected.
" You don't have to do it daily, maybe 3 times a week would be a good start and then you can increase it overtime when you want to." He says, refusing to back down.
" No. Absolutely not." I denied.
" Give it a try. Please?" He pleads.
Ugh, this will be annoying....
I don't really have to do it. I can just ignore this completely and continue living my days.
But I guess I am a bit curious on learning how to properly fight.
And Ayanokoji says it'll be beneficial to me in the long run.....
I sighed loudly, " Finnneee...."
" Good. You can start now." He suddenly says.
" Huh, now? What do you-" I was cut off as he spoke,
" I'm forcing your body to wake up at 5 am." He announces.
" HUH?! HELL NO-"
---------------------------
I immediately woke up.
Are you fucking shitting me?
Did you seriously just do that?!
Hai.
YOU PIECE OF SHIT!
I groaned loudly as I tried to force myself to sleep but couldn't.
You should start with a warm up and then a light jog.
Soon, you must begin to make a full sprint.
Relax! For fucks sake, my mind can barely process what you are saying!
You forcefully woke me up!
You agreed to train your body, right? I suggest doing it now.
" Ugh...fucking hell..." I groaned as I slowly got up from my bed.
Why the hell did my dumbass say yes...
---------------------‐------------
My body.....my poor body....it feels sore!
That's good. That means it's working.
I managed to complete my first day of exercise.
I also managed to get by half of the day, though I struggled to walk without stumbling a few times.
" Kazumi-san, I'd like for you to join Kushida-san and I for lunch." Horikita says.
" Eh? Hell no." I immediately rejected.
I'm not involving myself in something like that....today of all days...
God, it's sore...
" You wanted me to gather the idiots right? I don't want you to help me this time. I just want you to be by my side while I convince Kushida." She quickly states.
Umm.....wording....
I raised a brow, " 'Be by your side'? Is this some sort of romantic confession, Horikita? Sorry to break it to you, but you haven't really treated me nicely in the past, so I'm going to have to reject it." I said flatly.
She sighs and dismisses my reply, " That's not what I meant and you know it. Just please come with us."
Well, I got nothing better to do...
So you're going to accept? That's suprising.
Well, I'm curious on observing Kushida's fake personality.
" Sure. I guess." I decided to agree.
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I was currently eating in a table with Horikita and Kushida seated with me.
" So....let me ask again...just to be sure..." Kushida started as she smiles at Horikita , " You want me to help you, Horikita-san?"
Horikita nods reluctantly, " Yes. I want you to convince Ike,Yamauchi and Sudo-kun to join the next study session." She says.
" Um, okay! But, what are your real motives behind this, Horikita-san?" Kushida suddenly asks with a curious gaze.
I gazed at Kushida while eating as I observed her expression.
Man, I wouldn't have believed that she had a split personality....
She's annoyingly good at acting...... so good that it's also fucking creepy....
I averted my gaze soon after to avoid any suspicion.
" I'm doing it for myself. I'll do whatever to reach Class A." Horikita says.
" Ah, I see..." Kushida responds.
Horikita raises a brow, " Do you have a problem with someone who's motives are selfish?" She asked.
Kushida immediately shakes her as she once again adorned that smile, " Of course not, Horikita-san! I'm just glad that you were honest." She says.
I looked at Horikita to see her usual stern look seemingly in a state of relief that Kushida would help.
I didn't expect her to put her dislike for Kushida aside.....at such a fast rate.
Maybe Horikita can be useful after all....
Useful hm? I agree with that.
" But!" Kushida says as raises a finger.
" I'd like to have one favor of mine granted once I convince Sudo and the rest." Kushida states.
She wants to join the study group, huh...
You guessed right.
" What is it?" Horikita asked.
Kushida's smile widened.
" I'd like to join the study group! I can help with tutoring them if you want!" She stated her condition.
Horikita seemed reluctant.
I can tell that she wants to say no so badly. But if she does, then she'll get nowhere with this and raise the chances of us losing class points by raising the chances of their expulsion.
An ultimatum for the old Horikita, indeed.
But the current day Horikita....seems more resolved.
" Fine.....but only if you managed to convince them." Horikita decided to agree with her terms.
" All right, then! " Kushida cheers before giving each of us her hands to shake.
" What?" I asked.
" Let's shake on it, shall we, girls?" She says with a smile.
" Don't push your luck, bitch. Just because you managed to be accepted by Horikita does not mean you are accepted by me. " I deadpanned.
The fact that she probably thought that we'd be buddy-buddy with her is laughable.
But I also can't trust her either....ever since that split personality hint.
" A-Ah, okay Kazumi-san.....how about you, Horikita-san?" She turns to Horikita.
" Kazumi-san doesn't need to shake hands with you. She has no say in the matter, anyway. This is purely my choice." Horikita said before accepting Kushida's handshake.
With this, the three amigos will be saved.
Not yet...
Huh? There's more?
You'll see.
Hahh....fuck...
Well, at the very least...
Kushida and Horikita are in a temporary alliance.
Despite Ayanokojo's annoying warning....
Let's just see how this will develop...
SadisticPaimom just recovered from a fever!
So Shoko is beginning to train in order to use the new martial arts knowledge she gained from Kiyo.
Kushida and Horikita are in a temporary alliance to bring the three idiots back!
Will Shoko ever achieve Kiyo's physical skill and ability?
To be frank...
Absolutely not.
At best, she'd probably be at....Ibuki-Horikita level of fighting since her training is not like the white room or whatever Koenji trained in.
Oh and that white room electric shock thing was inspired by smth mentioned in volume 4

It felt like smth the white room would do in my trash opinion lol.
Anyway, Paimom out~