On the second day of class, our lessons finally began. After homeroom with Chabashira, we had Math, Science, History, and English classes. Everything went well, aside from the fact that only about half of my classmates were paying attention. I had thought that Chabashira simply didn't care enough to correct them, and once other teachers began their own lessons, discipline would be restored. However, that proved not to be the case.
The only other notable thing was Hoshinomiya-sensei, who was Class B's homeroom teacher, seemed to have very low energy for a teacher. If I didn't know any better, I would assume she was hungover, but that would be ridiculous for a teacher from an institution of this caliber.
The rest of our lessons were relatively uneventful, and I can't say I was paying much attention. While I wasn't as bad as my classmates who were obviously slacking off, I made sure to appear engaged while simply letting my mind wander. I figured that these lessons wouldn't affect my ability to perform on an exam, so they really didn't matter. I had other things on my mind, after all.
At the end of the day, I had plans to go to a cafe with Sakura, but that wouldn't be until a little later. Miyuki had been invited to join Hirata and some others for a friendly game of soccer. I've seen him play sports before, so he should be fine, but for some reason, Miyuki seemed really nervous. I had offered to come and watch, but he seemed to shut that idea down, as if he didn't want me to see him play. Since I was planning on hanging out with Sakura later, it was fine.
Since I had some free time, I wanted to check out the other first-year classes. I didn't want any more surprises like Hayasaka. With that in mind, I set out to see what the other classes were like.
However, as I was leaving the classroom, I was approached by Ayanokouji.
"Hey, Shinomiya, are you busy this afternoon?" He asked.
"No, not particularly. Why do you ask?"
"I was planning on visiting the other classes, and I was wondering if you would like to join?"
It seemed that he had the exact same plan that I did. I guess I didn't mind having company, even if it was him. I suppose that this could be a good opportunity to get used to being around him anyway.
"Sure. I was actually thinking about doing that myself, and I don't mind the company."
"I see. I asked Horikita if she wanted to go too, but she declined. I don't want to go by myself."
"I guess she has been unsocial as ever," I responded. I had been unable to strike up a conversation with her at all yet.
"So should we get going?" Ayanokouji asked.
"Sounds good."
As we began walking down the hallway toward the other first-year classrooms, we heard an announcement over the speaker system.
"Attention students. At 5:00 PM today, we will be holding a club fair in the gymnasium. For all students interested in joining a club, please gather in the gymnasium at 5:00 PM."
"Do you have any interest in joining a club, Shinomiya?" Ayanokouji asked.
"I'm not sure. I was in the archery club at my last school, and I was on the student council. I think it could be interesting to attend."
"Well, then we should head there after visiting the other classes."
"I agree."
With that, we continued toward the other first-year classes.
The first classroom we walked up to was Class 1-B, Hayasaka's class. I wonder if she's in here. Ayanokouji walked up to the door and without hesitation opened it.
Inside were more students than I would have guessed, given that classes had ended for the day. I didn't see Hayasaka, but there were probably 20-25 students still here. The largest group looked like they were in the middle of a conversation, and a blonde-haired girl stood out among them.
Just looking at her brought feelings of jealousy and anger to the surface of my mind, and I instantly knew why. Two very large reasons she reminded me of Fujiwara.
Although right after we walked in, she looked at us and waved, with a big smile on her face.
"You guys must be students from another class. My name is Honami Ichinose. It's nice to meet you both." Her social skills were top-notch. While I may not be socially incompetent, this girl was an expert.
"I'm Kaguya Shinomiya. It's nice to meet you too."
"I'm Kiyotaka Ayanokouji. Likewise."
"So, what brings you two to Class 1-B?" Ichinose asked with a curious look. She looked like someone who was genuinely kind and friendly. I've spent a majority of my life believing that people like her always have a hidden side, but I've since learned that sometimes people like this are genuine. I have a suspicion that she might be one of them; call it intuition.
"We just wanted to take a look at the other classes and introduce ourselves," I responded to her.
"That's fantastic," beamed Ichinose. "I've gotten to know most of my classmates, but I have only met a few students from other classes so far. This is perfect."
"What class are you guys from, by the way?"
"We are from Class 1-D."
"Oh, so do you two know Kushida, then?"
Ayanokouji's face didn't show any change, but I swear I almost thought I saw something behind his eyes shift as Ichinose mentioned Kushida. Although it was probably a trick of the light, or perhaps it's my own doubts surrounding Kushida I'm projecting onto him.
"Yeah, she's in our class. She has made a point to introduce herself to all of us," Ayanokouji answered.
"That makes sense," she remarked, "She came to Class 1-B yesterday, expressing her desire to befriend all of us. It seemed like a great idea, so I couldn't help but agree."
I listened attentively, curious about the friendships forming within our new school. As we engaged in casual conversation with Ichinose and a few other Class 1-B members, time seemed to pass quickly. We all shared a mutual curiosity about the various classes, and we were determined to make the most of our opportunity before the students dispersed for the day.
Ichinose, being friendly, suggested, "We should hang out sometime soon."
"Definitely," I replied with a smile. We exchanged phone numbers to make it easier to plan future meetups. "I'll be in touch, and we can figure out something fun." I hope this marks the beginning of some promising friendships for our time here.
Next, we headed toward Class 1-C, which was across the hall from us. To my surprise, this time it looked like almost the entire class was still present. A few students were filing out, but it was as if they had all been kept late.
A taller student with long magenta hair was among those leaving the classroom.
"Kukuku. What do we have here?" He asked with a devilish grin.
"We are going around meeting students from the other classes. You're in Class 1-C, right? What's your name?" I asked.
"Ah, so that's what you're up to. Well, I guess I don't mind introducing myself, but I'm not one for meet and greets. Kakeru Ryuen is my name, and you two are?"
"Kaguya Shinomiya."
"Kiyotaka Ayanokouji."
"Alright then, have fun with the rest of my class if you want. Although something tells me this won't be the last time we'll meet. See you later, Kaguya, Ayanokouji."
As he walked off with that same grin on his face, his use of my first name didn't escape me. I almost made an effort to correct him, but I have a feeling that no matter what I say, I wouldn't change his behavior. He seemed similar to Koenji in that regard.
As we walked into the classroom, a lot of the students were still talking among themselves. I looked around, keeping in mind what Hayasaka had told me yesterday. As I looked toward the back of the classroom, I saw her.
I can't believe it. Was our emotional goodbye meaningless? I thought I wouldn't see her for the next three years, but here she was.
I was speechless as I stood face to face with Chika Fujiwara.
"Oh. KAGUYA!!" She ran up to me and gave me a bear hug. I was still too confused to do anything. Hayasaka had told me she saw Fujiwara on the first day of school, but even coming from her, I was skeptical. I mean, I didn't even think Fujiwara had taken the entrance exam.
"What are you doing here?" I finally managed to ask.
"Oh, about that..."
"Sorry. I kind of forgot to tell you I was coming here too."
Her response still made no sense to me.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, after you and Miyuki applied to this school, I decided to also apply here so we can stay together. But I forgot to tell you I was accepted here before you left." She said with an embarrassed look on her face.
I was completely dumbfounded. Of all the things Chika Fujiwara has done, this one might be the most irritating. Mainly due to the embarrassment I now felt thinking about our conversation just a few days ago.
"Fujiwara. Is this a friend of yours?" Asked a student in English.
He had a very large build and looked like he was African American. I wondered why he was speaking English instead of Japanese.
"Yes, this is my friend Kaguya Shinomiya. We've known each other from before we came here." She responded also in English. Sometimes I forget that due to her parents' jobs, Fujiwara was versed in multiple languages. Her childlike demeanor would certainly contradict her extensive language skills.
"Why are you speaking in English?" I asked her.
"Albert here is a foreign exchange student from America. His Japanese isn't that good, so I've been speaking to him in English. Just like me, he also really likes traveling, and he told me he collects flags from different countries too."
Following suit, I decided to introduce myself in English as well. "My name is Kaguya Shinomiya. It's nice to meet you."
Albert's face lit up when I spoke in English to him. "I didn't expect more people to speak English so well. I'm Albert Yamada, but just call me Albert. Nice to meet you too." His massive build didn't seem to match his calm and friendly persona. Similar to Fujiwara, his appearance seemed to differ from his actual personality.
I realized that Ayanokouji had yet to comment during our exchange, so I turned to him. I was confident he also spoke fluent English, so I knew he had understood our conversation.
"Are you going to introduce yourself? You speak English too, right?"
He sighed as if this whole situation had drained his energy, but then he also spoke in English.
"I'm Ayanokouji, nice to meet you."
Albert seemed overjoyed that there was a whole group of people who could talk to him in his native language. I guess he has probably had a difficult time conversing with people if they couldn't speak the same language well. That thought brought back memories of the time Shuchin Academy hosted French exchange students. I remember that Miyuki only spoke a few phrases in French and couldn't communicate well with the rest of us.
That memory brought a smile to my face.
"Huh, what's got you so happy, Kaguya?" Fujiwara asked with a sly grin on her face.
"I just remembered something, that's all."
As much as I wanted to engage in the conversation, I was still trying to calm my mind down. I can't believe Fujiwara ended up here too. That fact didn't seem to bother her at all as she made casual conversation with Ayanokouji and Albert.
Meanwhile, Fujiwara continued to engage Albert in lively conversation, swapping travel stories and sharing recommendations for places to visit in Japan. It was amusing to see how effortlessly she could connect with people from different backgrounds. She had a talent for making friends wherever she went.
As the conversation continued, I couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between Ayanokouji and Albert. Albert's outgoing and friendly demeanor may not match his outward appearance, but he seemed to be relishing the opportunity to connect with new people in a foreign land. On the other hand, Ayanokouji appeared rather reserved.
I wasn't the only one who had noticed this as Fujiwara stepped in before I could.
"Ayanokouji, do you also enjoy traveling? I know I love getting to go to new places."
Ayanokouji took his time before responding, and I'm positive I knew why. I'm sure he hasn't had many chances to travel if any. This conversation brought me back to that place. Those white walls being my whole world for years. He was in there even longer than I was, so I can only imagine what he thought of our conversation.
"I guess I find traveling interesting, but I haven't visited as many places as it sounds like you guys have. I've read about lots of interesting places, though." His response seemed to make sense to Albert, but Fujiwara seemed dissatisfied with it. There's no way she could see through his lie, right?
"I can't believe you haven't traveled around the world, Ayanokouji," Fujiwara exclaimed. I guess my worry about her seeing through him was for nothing.
"I've been all over. I've been to Spain, Germany, France, Australia, Greece, and even America."
Fujiwara failed to read the room here. Bragging about your previous trips to someone who hasn't traveled much probably wasn't the nicest thing to do.
"Well, I have been to New York before," Ayanokouji said, not seemingly affected by Fujiwara's poor choice of words.
"Wow. I've wanted to visit New York for so long. I'm kind of jealous now."
With a complete reversal from earlier, the conversation had somehow shifted to a place Ayanokouji had visited that she hadn't.
"New York City is worth visiting," Albert seconded. "A friend of mine lives there."
I had never been to New York myself, but I knew my father had gone there a few years ago for a business trip of sorts. He never told me what it had been about, though.
As we continued talking, I realized that if we wanted to make it to the club fair on time, we needed to keep moving.
"Hey, Fujiwara, are you planning to join a club?"
"Oh yeah, I want to see if there is a games club here."
"Great, do you want to meet us at the club fair this afternoon then?"
"Oh yeah, I'll for sure meet you there, Kaguya."
"You are also welcome to join us," I told Albert.
"Thank you, I think I will."
With that, we began to part ways with Fujiwara and Class C. At this point, I didn't expect many people, if any, to still be in the Class A classroom, but I figured it's worth checking out.
"What do you think, Ayanokouji? Do you think it's still worth going to Class A at this point?"
"I don't see why not. With the club fair today, some students are likely staying in the school building later than normal. Also, we might as well check while we are already here."
With that, we walked down the hall toward Class 1-A, and I thought about the other two classes. This was forming something of a pattern. In Classes B and C, I had met my friends from before I came to ANHS, but there was no way that could continue at this point.
I didn't think anyone else from Shuchin was attending here that I knew about, but I am hoping for no more surprises.
As we entered Class A, it was about what I had expected. Only a few students were left. Two girls were talking and looked like they were about to leave. The only other people in the room were an odd gathering of students in the back of the classroom.
There were five of them still here, talking, and two of them stood out at first glance. A taller bald boy was standing next to the desks, and a short girl with lilac hair was sitting down. The girl had a cane next to her desk as well, so I wondered if she had some kind of physical disability.
Their conversation seemed to trail off as we approached. The shorter girl looked at me and asked, "Can we help you?"
"Hi, my name is Kaguya Shinomiya, from Class 1-D. The two of us were just visiting the other first-year classes this afternoon."
"Why would you have any need to do that?" the bald boy asked, almost suspiciously.
"Calm down, Katsuragi, there's no need for that. My name is Arisu Sakayanagi. This is Kamuro, Hashimoto, Kitou, and Katsuragi," she finished by gesturing to the bald boy.
"I see, nice to meet you all." Sakayanagi was now looking at Ayanokouji with a puzzled expression on her face. If I didn't know better, I might think they went to school together before coming here or something. Given how introductions with other classes had gone for me so far, that would be just our luck. However, I, of all people, knew that was impossible.
"I'm Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, it's nice to meet you all as well," he responded.
I figured that we needed to keep introductions here brief if we wanted to make it to the club fair on time, but I also didn't want to be rude after barging into their classroom.
Sakayanagi, however, seemed lost in thought now, the look of shock was barely hidden on her face. I can't imagine what could have caused this reaction. "Sakayanagi, are you doing alright? You look spaced out."
She seemed to snap back at the sound of my voice.
"Oh, I'm sorry about that. I was just lost in thought for a moment. So, was there another purpose for your visit aside from introductions?" she asked.
"Not really, we were also planning on attending the club fair this afternoon, so we weren't going to stay long."
"I see. Well, in that case, you should get going. The club fair is going to start in about 10 minutes, and I'm sure you don't want to be late," Sakayanagi said with her previous demeanor returned.
"Alright, it was nice to meet you all," I said as we walked out of the classroom.
"Likewise," Ayanokouji said.
As we left, Sakayanagi's gaze never left Ayanokouji as we headed toward the main gym.
With all the classrooms explored, it was time to head to the gymnasium for the club fair. I was eager to see what kind of clubs were available and potentially join one that caught my interest. While I was in the archery club at Shuchin, I was also considering joining the student council again. I wasn't sure what to expect from the club fair, but I was certainly ready.
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Wow that was a longer chapter than the rest. I almost made it longer too. Well, I hope you all enjoyed the reveal of more Love is War Characters over the last 2 chapters. I think Hayasaka and Fujiwara will be it, but options to add others in Y2 (If this story makes it that far) certainly exist. I hope you guys agree with my class placements for both of them. I really wanted Chika in class C since her language skills mesh with Albert, and I felt like Hayasaka fit class B. Well, it's too late to change my mind now. I'm planning on keeping the chapters coming and I am trying to get to the island exam soon, since I have plans for it. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please keep reading.