Ayanokoji
Advanced Nurturing High School
It was late March, and it was now the end of our final year. All of the third-year students would be graduating from this school, moving on to find successful jobs or attend a prestigious university. Of course, that would only be possible for the students of Class A. In other words, I was not guaranteed that opportunity, considering that I was no longer in that class.
To explain, around the end of the second semester, I had around twenty-million Private Points in my hand. Using those Points, I switched classes. At that time, I was originally in Class B, but changed to Class A, led by Sakayanagi Arisu-a natural born genius and the daughter of the Chairman at the Advanced Nurturing High School.
I did this in order to face my class-to face the girl known as Horikita Suzune. She was Class B's leader, a member of the Student Council, and a former friend. She's intelligent, persistent, and determined. She has an unwavering willpower and a brilliant mind. Her growth and her skills over these past few years piqued my interest, which was why I switched classes and why I wished to challenge her for myself.
Besides Sakayanagi and Horikita, there were two other classes. There was Class D, led by Ichinose Honami, who was charismatic and kind; and Class C, led by Ryuen Kakeru, who was ruthless and strong. The two of them are formidable and talented in their own way, and their skills as leaders are quite impressive. However, my reasons as to why I didn't choose them were simple.
Horikita's class had already faced Ryuen and Ichinose's class respectively, overcoming both of them. Of course, Ryuen and Ichinose could grow and become challenging enemies later on. However, the girl Horikita Suzune would already be well prepared to face either of them. I was sure of that.
Second, Class A was the only class left to face in order for Horikita's class to rise up to the top. Should they defeat them, they will become Class A, just as Horikita dreamed of. Sakayanagi was highly intelligent and strategic, and her ability to control the entire class under her fingertips was quite impressive. To bring her and her class down, Class B would need power and skill.
That's why I chose Class A. Sakayanagi was already powerful and with me, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, alongside her and her class, we would become an unstoppable force. Ryuen wouldn't stand a chance. Ichinose wouldn't stand a chance. However, for Horikita, she had a glimpse of victory. By taking us down, she'll grow exponentially, surpassing the two of us. The genius Arisu Sakayanagi will be no more...and so will the White Room's prodigy.
After I switched to Class A, I stepped out from the shadows and revealed my true self. Fighting alongside my new classmates, together, we pushed back Horikita and Class B, as well as the other classes from reaching us. They were powerful and resistant, but their struggles were futile.
Horikita Suzune was no match for us. She was backed into a corner with the realization that her class was not invincible as she thought it was. However, even when she was on the brink of defeat, she did not give up. She stood tall against me, determined to take me down. In the end, she managed to push us back, defeating our class and rising up to Class A. Horikita Suzune had won. She had fulfilled her dream of reaching Class A, and I had my wish fulfilled in return.
Now, today was the last day for our year here at this school. Before I left, I decided to meet Horikita one last time to congratulate her on her hard-fought victory. After all, she had earned it.
Many of the third-year students were outside, saying their goodbyes and their last words to each other as they were about to leave. First and second-year students stood by, watching as their seniors moved on, starting their new life.
I was inside the third-year school building, walking up the stairs to the second floor, entering a hallway where I saw a familiar girl, standing there, watching everyone else through the windows.
"Not going to celebrate with them?" I asked her.
Horikita turned and her face lit up. "Ayanokoji..."
I walked up and stood next to her, turning to look outside as well. "Congratulations. You and everyone else did it. You reached Class A, just like you wanted."
"Yeah, we did," she said. "It took a long time, but we all managed to make it. I'm proud of all of us."
I looked down to see my former classmates talking to each other. I saw Ike and Shinohara clinging onto each other, overfilled with joy. I saw Sudo, hanging around with Onodera, smiling and laughing together. On the side, I saw Satou, Matsushida, and Kei gossiping with each other. My former class was happy, and they all had bright futures ahead of them.
"Ayanokoji-kun," she said. "Why did you leave our class? You would have joined us had you stayed."
"I had no intention of being in Class A in the end. I only wanted to hang back and stay away from trouble, remember?"
She chuckled. "Yeah, I remember." There was a brief pause and a moment of silence between us. "I couldn't find Sakayanagi after the graduation ceremony, and it seems like she's also gone today. Have any idea where she's at?"
"You don't know?"
"Know what?" she asked.
"About a week ago, after the graduation ceremony, Sakayanagi left our class due to an unexpected family emergency."
"I see...so that's why you suddenly became the leader of the class..." Horikita gave a weak smile. "I will say, Ayanokoji-kun, you were quite incredible when we fought. Your skills and ability to support Sakayanagi was impressive. You held her class together well. Had you been like that from the start, we would've gotten to Class A a lot sooner..."
That's certainly true. However, if I had done that, things would've never had ended like I wanted it to. I looked away from the window and turned to look at her. That's when I noticed something about her body. "You seem different," I said.
She glared at me. "You must be delusional. Also, look at my body again, and you'll suffer the consequences."
How scary... Ignoring her threat, I confirmed that she was indeed different. She wore multiple loose clothing, and both her face and body features seemed much more feminine than usual. It seemed quite unusual for her to look like this.
"Hey Ayanokoji-kun," she said. "Now that it's all over, what do you plan to do now?"
"Hm...I suppose I'll leave with my Otou-san and move somewhere else. Maybe out of town, or even out of the country. Once I do that, I'll probably go on from there." This was a lie of course. My father would no doubt send me back to the White Room, and under maximum security no less. My freedom, which I fought so hard to have, would be ripped away from me. I would go back to being the old Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
"I see..." Horikita said in such a quiet tone.
I looked back at her and for some reason, I saw a small frown on her face. She didn't look at me, but I could see the sadness in her eyes. A girl, so stern and cold, feeling down because of my departure. I could hardly believe it.
*slam*
I turned back to look outside and saw my father coming out of a limo, passing through the school gate. His bodyguards in black suits stood and waited at the doors of the vehicle as he scouted around the school looking for me.
"Seems like I'm leaving."
"Eh?" Horikita said in a surprised voice. "W-Wait..."
"Otou-san is here to pick me up. Sorry, I have to go." As I walked away, I started hearing footsteps from behind. I glanced back and noticed Horikita following me, walking at a steady pace. As I went down the stairs, the footsteps began slowing down and I turned back to see what was happening. Horikita had slowed down, walking down one step at a time, almost as if she was afraid of falling. Seeing that she was helpless, I decided to help her down.
"What are you doing?" she asked, looking irritated.
"You looked like you needed help," I said. "Unless of course you don't need it."
"..." She looked away from me. "Thank you, Ayanokoji..."
The two of us reached the first floor and started walking towards the entrance of the school building. Horikita was silent, walking alongside me as I headed towards my father.
"You should prepare yourself to leave as well. Your Nii-san is probably waiting for you. You don't have to follow me, Horikita."
"I know, but this is my decision," she said in a firm and serious tone with determination in her eyes.
"...If you say so..."
Once I stepped outside through the doors, my father instantly spotted me and walked up to me. "Kiyotaka," he called my name in a serious voice.
"Otou-san," I said.
He glared at me with eyes filled with anger. "You and I will return home. You assume what will happen, yes?"
"Yeah, I do." As always, I was emotionless when face-to-face with him. His words, no matter how threatening they may be, never succeed to move me.
My father stared at me for a moment, then glanced at Horikita who was behind me. He decides to ignore her, turning around and heading back to the limo.
"That's your Otou-san?" Horikita asked.
"Yeah." He was Ayanokoji Atsuomi, and he was my biological father. He was a politician and the founder of the White Room, which was the place where I spent my entire childhood growing up. For my entire life, even now, I've never truly considered him a father figure. He was just a man who gave me life-a life where I had no control nor freedom. And now I was going to leave this sanctuary to go back to that place with that man who I call "Otou-san".
"I suppose this is goodbye, Horikita."
"Y-Yeah..."
I stood there for a moment, waiting for her to say something. However, there was nothing but complete silence. With that, I took a step to leave.
"...Wait..." she said quietly and I stopped. "Ayanokoji-kun...do...you think I've grown...?"
Has she grown? I suppose she has. These three years at this school had been quite fruitful not only for me, but for Horikita as well. During our first year, she was independent, always alone and serious, believing she could do everything by herself. However, as time passed, she began to grow as a person. She stood up and became a leader. She opened herself up, surrounding herself with allies and friends she could trust. And she became an important figure in the entire school by being President of the Student Council, and a formidable student. Out of everyone in our grade level, she is the one person I respect the most.
Seeing that Horikita wasn't speaking anymore, waiting for an answer, I decided to say what was on my mind. "You've definitely become an incredible person, Horikita."
"...!"
"I truly do respect you. As a person and as a former classmate. Whether or not you believe my words is up to you." There was a brief pause and a moment of silence. I glanced back at her for a moment, then looked back at my father, who was still walking toward the school gate. "If that's all, I suppose I'll be going now."
"R-Right... Goodbye, Ayanokoji-kun..."
"Yeah." I walked away, following behind my father. As I did, I began looking around myself. Everybody was on their phones, and television screens were on and running. Now then, let us begin...
Suddenly, we heard static from all around us. People gasped as their phones glitched and as their screens slowly changed.
"Greetings, people of Japan."
"Huh?"
"W-What is this?"
Everyone's phones and all of the television screens were hacked. What they were watching was a pre-recorded video created by me, one where I masked my voice to hide my identity. With this, I was going to reveal the entire truth to the whole country. It is time for them to know of the White Room.
"Many of you have lived your lives believing that your country-your home-is a peaceful and beautiful place, one where it is safe and free, one where we can all thrive. However, I am here to tell you that that's not the case."
"Eh?"
"W-What does it mean?" someone gossiped.
"What is this...?" said my father.
After those words, the screens changed and showed the White Room project, as well as a list of all White Room students from every generation. "Behind the scenes, many of our children have been taken away by a secret institution known as the White Room. Their goal is to nurture these children from the day they are born, using harsh and inhumane tactics to forge them into the ideal leaders of Japan."
"W-What?!"
"T-That's insane!"
"Tch...!" my father grunted angrily.
Pictures of the Fourth Generation of White Room students were shown. Everyone here would now know the real me.
"...!"
"Ayano...koji...?" said Horikita.
"These children have been unable to live ordinary lives. They've been stripped away of their emotions, their freedom, and their ability to socialize with others. They are merely broken and empty vessels who know nothing of the real world."
"..." Everyone went silent, staring at their screens with horrified faces.
"And the one who started all of this...is none other than Ayanokoji Atsuomi."
A picture of my father appeared on everyone's screens, and suddenly, everybody turned to stare at us. Rather, they stared directly at my father alone. I turned to look at my father as well, and the reaction I saw on his face was exactly what I wanted.
"Tch...!" My father came up to me and grabbed my arm, dragging me. "We're leaving!"
All of the students and faculty members began using their phones, taking photos and videos of us running away.
Good. This will do.
I decided to turn around, and saw a group of people following behind us. In the very far back, I could see Horikita, doing nothing but standing still and staring as she watched me leave.
Goodbye, Horikita Suzune...
My father and I got into the limo, then the wheels screeched as we quickly drove away from the crowd, leaving them all behind.
"Dammit it all...!" my father said angrily. I looked at him, frantically moving around in the limo, restless and anxious after what just happened. "Tch...!" he grunted, then slammed his fist on the door of the vehicle. "How...? How could this have happened...?!" I stayed silent, staring at him as he continued to break down more and more. "There's no way it could've been leaked. There's..." he paused, then clenched his fists. "It can't be..."
I decided to take a glance outside the car window, and saw a speeding car heading towards us.
"Hm."
My father looked up and glared at me. "Kiyotaka...! You...!"
*beep!!!*
"...!"
For the sake of the world, Ayanokoji Atsuomi and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka will disappear along with the White Room. This is goodbye...Otou-san...
*crash*