Ayanokoji Kiyotaka POV
♙♘♗♖♕♔ 🄲🅷🄴🅲🄺🅼🄰🆃🄴 ♚♛♜♝♞♟
Once again, the Checkmate Title Card reappears on the screen.
The Auditorium was in a stale mood due to the ruckus of Checkmate Kiyotaka's classmate's introduction, his comments about Chabashira-Sensei, and perplexing individuals like Ryuen and Sakayanagi causing havoc in the Auditorium.
There was silent chatter among students in different years. Some students seem bored, amused, agitated, and excited about what's to come from the screen.
However, one common trait in the Auditorium was animosity towards Ike, Yamauchi, Kouenji, Ryuen, Sakayanagi and me.
I was the lowest on the list and it wasn't even my fault. Checkmate Kiyotaka ludicrous thoughts about Checkmate Chabashira-Sensei was a slight shock to me
Chabashira-Sensei is attractive but I wouldn't go into such detail highlighting about it
Another factor was Checkmate Kiyotaka suspicious towards Checkmate Kushida.
These suspicions caused uproar among the students in the Auditorium. Arguments flung around the room because of this. Doubt started to rise. Kushida's character, in my timeline and Checkmate's timeline, is called into question by me and Kouenji (Our Checkmate's selves), Ryuen, and Sakayanagi. The latter who ruthlessly question our Kushida's true intentions and motives.
Due to Kushida's overwhelming strength in moral support, discourse surrounding her and her Checkmate self was quickly extinguished.
Though this didn't dissipate the students' ire of Ryuen, Sakayanagi, Kouenji, Ike, and Yamauchi.
Ryuen due to his vulgar comments throughout the screening and his accusation of Kushida
Sakayanagi due to her ruthless attack on Kushida.
Kouenji due to him causing a commotion on the bus in both timelines, his Checkmate self suspicious towards Checkmate Kushida, and well...Kouenji being Kouenji
These 3 aren't startled by the animosity coming towards them in the Auditorium.
Ike and Yamauchi though had downcasted expression with grim faces
Ike was still slightly white due to barrage of hate coming towards him and his Checkmate self
Yamauchi repeatedly struck his cranium, seemingly in the hope that the impact would stimulate his brain to undergo a transformative process, resulting in heightened intelligence
Ike and Yamauchi are widely disliked in my class and other classes in my timeline. Their acknowledgement seems to be virtually nonexistent, perhaps obscured by blindness or ignorance.
But now watching their Checkmate counterparts enact similar actions that happen in our timeline on the big screen, with all 3 years of ANHS (including the teachers) watching and mocking them, is a source of shame and embarrassment for Ike and Yamauchi.
The silent chatter came to a sudden stop once the title card gradually faded, presenting a new scene on the screen
The entrance ceremony was quite boring and, according to the faces of most of the students here, they would agree with me. The principal gave a long-winded speech, something about the school's history and miscellaneous information which took far too much time for everyone's taste. Few people listened attentively while most of them wished they could be some place else right about now. The ceremony finally ended at noon. After we received some general information about the campus, the crowd dispersed.
Unsurprisingly, it's still on Checkmate Kiyotaka's perspective.
"Ugh, when are we going to watch another person's perspective?!"
"While he's somewhat interesting, I wouldn't want this whole screening just to be on him"
Dissatisfaction swayed throughout the Auditorium. They weren't necessarily wrong though, a "boring" person like me wouldn't really get people engaged in watching this screening.
"Everyone remember that the Chess-themed Man stated profusely that the screen will show key figures from each year that played a significant role on the Checkmate Timeline, Checkmate Ayanokoji's importance in the Checkmate Timeline is anticipated and will be presented on the screen."
Manabu diligently expressed
"Though Horikita-Senpai, how important do you think Checkmate Ayanokoji will be? With so many divergences and deviations soon to be presented on the screen, I suspect he will be a main player in this vigorous school"
Nagumo speculated Checkmate Kiyotaka's possible involvement in class competition
If he were to take a role as leader, Checkmate Kiyotaka would plausibly still hide in the shadows using someone from his class as a scapegoat and a tool....
"The value of his importance is something I can't estimate"
"Is that so? What if Checkmate Ayanokoji wants to join the Student Council, would you accept him?"
Nagumo purpose a pivotal hypothetical
The Student Council holds immense authority over the other students. They are a special group elected to address issues of conducting special meetings among classes.
Manabu offered me a chance to become a secretary in the student council after the conclusion of the Class C and D trial.
"Assuming that my Checkmate self operates similarly to me, I would assess Checkmate Ayanokoji to determine if he truly fits for the council"
"Excellent answer, Horikita-Senpai, but what if Checkmate Horikita-Senpai declines Checkmate Ayanokoji's position in the council? What if my Checkmate counterpart swoops in and gives Checkmate Ayanokoji a spot in the council?
Nagumo wore a smug smile directly looking at Manabu
This also confirm my assumption of Nagumo being part of the Student Council
His familiar tone with Manabu spoke volumes.
"I would hope your Checkmate self does not consider doing such actions, after all, you went behind my back and instated Ichinose Honami into the council despite me rejecting her"
Manabu revealed shocking information that shooked the core of the Auditorium
Ichinose was already rejected from the Student Council by Horikita Manabu, however Nagumo leveraged his influence within the council to secure her position.
This confirms that Nagumo Miyabi's position in the Student Council has to be the Vice-President
Students from the first and third year were speculating about Nagumo's actions.
Ichinose's class was shocked to hear this. But due Ichinose's determine nature, they didn't care if she was accepted into the council in an unauthorized way. After all, it benefits her class.
Kanazki wore a skeptical expression.
On the contrary, the second years remained eerily quiet, as though awaiting a signal to offer their thoughts on Nagumo's actions
There was one outliner though...
"My my. What nefarious reason would you save the kouhai Nagumo?"
The girl with the long platinum blonde hair and crimson eyes nonchalantly accused Nagumo with a smirk on her face
Nagumo looks at the girl with a dull annoyed expression not due to the accusation, but the fact it was her who accused him
"I saw massive potential in Ichinose Honami and believe Horikita-Senpai's assessment was clearly wrong. Bringing her into the council has already shown spectacular results"
"Feigning to hold up your esteemed reputation fufu. No need to lie to everyone, you're merely seeking another pawn in your overly abundant arsenal"
Kanazki's eyes narrow from hearing the accusation
"You Kiryuin have no right to judge how I navigate. You've contributed next to nothing towards your class in the past two years"
"And you have no right to judge how I approach this school, Nagumo. I'll live these remaining days in my own bliss. Class competitions and Class A holds zero importance to me"
Assessing Kiryuin, she's like a female version of Kouenji for the second years.
Would that mean their equals? Absolutely not
She displays the same pompous attitude as Kouenji, but her actual intellect and physical achievements is something that is unknown for now.
Kouenji has shown feats by him and Yukimura scoring a 90 on the reference test, getting a time of 23.22 seconds for the fifty-meter swimming race that was conducted a week after the entrance ceremony.
Most of the juniors headed to the dormitories, while others already went out with friends to visit the stores, cafes and karaoke place. I made my way over to one of the convenience stores to buy some things I would need during my day to day. As I was roaming through the campus on my own, I was quite amazed at how huge this school was. Aside from that, cameras were positioned almost everywhere. After I reached my destination and walked inside, a familiar voice entered my ears.
"My, yet another unpleasant coincidence."
I really wondered if I wronged anyone in my life, after once again running into the girl I didn't want to see the most. After checking my memories, however, I concluded that nothing noteworthy took place for which I would deserve such a cruel fate.
"Hahahaha! He can be quite funny"
"They're like the Protagonist and the Deuteragonist..."
"Fate brought them together again"
The rising mood in the Auditorium is something I disregarded because I was dreading if Checkmate Kiyotaka made a comment about Checkmate Horikita's boobs.
I glanced at Sudo, noticing agitation across his face. Witnessing his actions at the convenience store in the Checkmate Timeline evoke a sense of dread to him.
"There is no need to be so hostile. Did you need to buy something as well?"
"Yes, just a few things. I came to get some necessities."
She was like me in that regard. Coming here to buy shampoo, a toothbrush and things like that. As I watched Horikita put similar essentials into her basket, I wondered why she went for the cheapest option most of the time. Saving points would be the right course of action, but I always believed that girls would be picky with products that would affect their appearance and hygiene. Did the book I've read lie to me?
"Well Ayanokoji-kun... it depends on the person and how they spend their own money"
Sakura, in a hush tone, spoke to me about Checkmate Kiyotaka's comment.
"Checkmate Kiyotaka really took words written in a book as face value, dumbass"
Ibuki spouted out with discontent airing in her voice
"Ibuki, you know how to read? To me you have a monkey brain"
Ryuen snarkily remarks
Ibuki scowled but didn't respond to Ryuen's insult
"I thought girls usually made a fuss over what kind of shampoo they bought."
"That depends on the person, doesn't it? I'm the sort who doesn't know when you might need money."
I see. This conduct didn't apply to every girl, apparently. From a practical standpoint, I had to agree with her. It was always handy to have money in case you needed it, especially in such a mysterious environment like this school.
Majority of students in the Auditorium wore expressions of annoyance. Because of their misconceptions of ANHS from living in blissful ignorance, they incurred a substantial loss of private and class points through their actions.
A cold shudder traveled down my back as I caught Horikita's icy glare, which seemed to declare, 'Could you please not inspect other people's purchases without their permission?'
Well, no. Scratch that please from the sentence. She wouldn't be using a word like this while looking like a devil incarnate.
"An extreme comparison..."
"Is he wrong though?"
"The devil is an ugly beast, she isn't"
"The devil was beautiful when he was an angel though?"
"At any rate. I was surprised that you stayed for the introductions. You didn't look like the type to hang out with a circle of classmates."
"I already told you that I don't like trouble, hence I took part as not to stand out negatively. Why didn't you introduce yourself, Horikita? You could have gotten to know several students, and it would have been a chance to make friends."
Most of the students exchanged numbers shortly after the introduction. One of those pairs was Yamauchi and Ike, just like I had expected. The girls scrambled around Hirata as if they had a competition about whoever got his number first, while the boys went to Kushida. Most of the females then turned to her to exchange numbers as well after they had sucked Hirata dry like a pack of vampires.
"My god they're savages!"
The boy with the dark green hair and eyes from 1-C shouted this comment which led to uncontrollable laughter in the Auditorium.
Many boys and girls in my class lower their heads down in embarrassment as these actions were the same in our timeline.
While all of this was taking place I, well..., I observed them.
Alone.
If Horikita would have been there with me, maybe I wouldn't have been. Even Kouenji started exchanging numbers with some girls. My savior, Hirata, tried to include me, but he was drowned by girls before he could do anything at all, which was why I ended up alone while everyone else made friends.
"Checkmate Ayanokoji can't give up now! It's only the first day!"
Shibata bore a radiant tone
"And Ayanokoji"
He then look at me
"If you want, you can become friends with us Class B folks, we'll accept anyone!"
What an interesting proposal. I was relatively close to Ichinose and Kanazki through their contributions in helping Class D in the Class Trial and my role as a love advisor for Ichinose, but being friends with the entire Class B would be otherworldly
"Oi, would you accept me if I wanted to be friends with my fellow Class B peers?"
Ryuen mocking eyes glare at Shibata who's composure cracked
"U-um W-well.."
He trail of a bit unable to form a sentence to answer Ryuen's response
Just before Ichinose could answer in replacement of Shibata, Kanzaki spoke first
"Friendships inherently involve trust, communication, and mutual respect, qualities that you lack Ryuen"
"Kuku what a narrow minded view, you say I have no trust but my whole class trust me as their leader"
"You rule your class in fear and violence, threatening to hurt anyone diverging from your set ideals"
"Sure I do, but my classmates realize that im their only chance of making it to Class A"
Exclude Ryuen from Class C, and you'll have the most ordinary class in the first year
"There are several reasons I objected. My introduction might have sown discord, depending on how things went. Thus, doing nothing avoided creating more problems. Am I wrong?"
Well, thinking about her debut, I could certainly see her choosing harsh and rather cold words. She might have been right in just leaving, even though it was quite a shame. If she weren't as headstrong and a little more approachable, she could be exceedingly popular.
"Popularity isn't something Checkmate Horikita would want. Furthermore, being popular would be a hindrance to me and her"
Horikita spoke with clarity
"I understand Horikita-san, but disliking popularity shouldn't serve as a reason for you to avoid forming connections with others"
Hirata understood our Horikita and Checkmate Horikita's stance, but he still didn't want anyone in our class to be lonely
"We both prefer solitude and the comfort of our room more than interacting with people we wouldn't care about"
Encouraging someone who enjoys solitude to seamlessly assimilate into a group and cultivate friendships is a challenging endeavor.
"Statistically speaking, there was a high probability that you could have hit it off with everyone after introducing yourself."
"How did you conclude that? Let's say that the probability of making friends was high, like you said. How many people did you get to know?"
Ouch. That was a low blow, even for her. She should know that it was easier for a girl to make friends if she was cute. Even if these 'friends' were only male ones who wanted to get to know her better while having ulterior motives. Her chance to find a friend in class was much higher than mine. A similar rule applied to someone like Hirata, who was a handsome boy.
"It sucks knowing most guys who approach girls have ulterior motives...."
"You're acting as if girls don't also do that as well, I mean look at how Checkmate Ayanokoji describe the way the his female classmates flock to Checkmate Hirata"
"Well he obviously sounded jealous..."
"Jealous? He was merely making an observation on the girl's behaviors. I'm not implying that boys are superior in behavior, but holding a double standard when the girls behave similarly is hypocritical"
Yukimura and Shinohara engage in a heated argument
Shinohara was annoyed by Yukimura's statements which cause her to glare at him
Yukimura on the other hand, retains his focus back onto the screen.
Double standards pervade in our society. Manifesting in many places such as employment, household dynamics, public settings, school environment, daily interactions with peers, personal appearance, and numerous other aspects.
"Ugh..."
She gazed at me with a victorious smirk.
I couldn't argue with her reasoning, however. She would only hurt me more if I tried to defend myself since the fact that I failed miserably works in favor of the point she was trying to make as well.
"It's good to not provoke her, the insults she'll spew would probably kill his self-esteem"
A flicker of laughter spread across the Auditorium
Horikita's insults do sting a little, but I don't think they'll kill me or Checkmate Kiyotaka.
We endure challenges far more severe than mere insults...
I instinctively averted my eyes.
"In other terms, you have no evidence to support your claim, do you? Besides, I never intend to make any friends in the first place, thus there is no need to introduce myself, which also eliminates the reason for staying to hear the introductions. Have I convinced you?"
The only reply she received was a forlorn sigh, as I had no comeback. She turned around and kept shoving items into her basket, and so did I. We sometimes ended up walking with each other, but we neither exchanged words nor eye contact. Even though she was rather uptight and slightly rude, being with her didn't feel uncomfortable.
Was this the feeling called 'love'? I wondered.
"Pfft! Love? Is he serious?"
"Ignoring her personality, Horikita-san's pretty appearance can easily entice many"
"Say Ayanokoji, are you sure you and Horkita in our timeline arent dating?"
Sato eyes me after saying this
"No, Ayanokoji and I aren't dating. I'm perplexed as to how this bothersome thought has arise in your mind and the mind of many others"
Horikita hastily expresses it with a monotone voice.
Sato seem satisfied with Horikita's response
Sudo subtly sighed with relief
I already told him that me and Horikita werent dating, but hearing it from Horkita reinforced the validity of my response
On the topic of dating, I don't think I would be a bad boyfriend. I wouldn't be perfect as this would be a new experience to me, but I wouldnt cheat or lie to my hypothetical girlfriend.
The two of us stumbled upon a few rather noisy male students that stood in front of the instant noodles.
"Damn, look at that! The selection is huge! This school is amazing!"
So this is more than a normal convenience store would have in stock? Well, not that this information was useful to me in any significant way. I should get some to see how they taste, though.
"Do boys really like this kind of stuff? I can't imagine that it's healthy," Horikita said without turning towards me.
"I like them just fine, I guess."
"Hey, what do you think? Is this price high or low?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure. Why, is there something curious about it?"
"No, I was just wondering."
I ignored her quizzical expression and dumped the G-Cup labeled noodles into my basket. On an unrelated note, Horikita's breasts were neither small nor huge. They exquisitely straddled the line between the two. The perfect size.
..........
The Auditorium room engulfed into silence from Checkmate Kiyotaka's unexpected comment
Damn, why couldn't there be a deviation there?!
"This guy really related ramen to boobs....."
"Can guys go one day without thinking about ass and tits?!"
"Boys will always be perverted in every situations"
Insults launched towards Checkmate Kiyotaka and boys in general
My female classmates had their suspicious gaze on me
"Ayanokoji, in our timeline, did you have this repulsive thought in your head?"
Their penetrating gaze seemed to permeate every part of my body
Should I tell the truth or should I lie....
"No I didn't..."
I decided to spew a lie. Their penetrating gaze was still on me, soft whispers exchanged amidst their gazes.
Horikita had the sharpest gaze on me bore with intensity, scrutinizing my face and body for any trace of deceit
After a few moments, their gazes switch back onto the screen
Do they believe me?
Who knows?
"Ayanokouji-kun. Were you thinking something stupid just now?"
"Er. No?"
"I felt like you were acting strange."
Scary. How did she do that? Could it be...? Mind reading? Perfect size, perfect size, perfect size. I repeated like a chant.
"Is he trying to get caught?"
"The balls on this guy..."
"Doesn't seem like in our Ayanokoji would do this..."
"Maybe he's the most perverted guy in this whole school..."
That's not true. It will forever be Ike and Yamauachi
But this led me to envision a very horny version of me...
Horrifying...
"Ayanokouji-kun."
Her uncomfortable gaze drilled into me with the strength of a thousand frozen tundras.
"Yes?"
"Do you really think you should buy that? The school offers far healthier food options. Don't you think it's better to avoid eating junk?"
"I guess just once is fine. I never had one of these before, to be honest."
That wouldn't be a weird thing to say. I confirmed that before, since she basically said that she never had one either. Our reasons may differ, but the result wouldn't change.
"Checkmate Horikita abstains from it because it's an unhealthy food choice to her. Checkmate Ayanokoji never had it due to his restricted lifestyle at home"
Shiina explains with clarity
"Cant believe his parents never gave him ramen. Ramen is the best!"
The boy with the dark green hair and eyes excitedly says
"Eating junk everyday is why you're an idiot Ishizaki"
A girl with reddish brown hair and violet eyes spoke this to Ishizaki.
"Suit yourself." Horikita said, before wandering off.
We moved away from the food and began looking for daily essentials. She still seemed quite distant. Would she look cuter with a smile? I thought about cracking a joke, since this was much easier to do in a one-on-one situation.
"If you're looking for something a cut above the rest, how about this razor with five blades?"
I grinned, proud of my accomplishment at cracking a joke. I've read that one in a book, and it applied perfectly as she was just browsing the area.
"Was it a book for clowns?"
"There are occasions when certain jokes should not be made..."
Embarrassing. I used this same joke in this timeline....
"Why in the world would I want to shave with that?"
I pretended to shave my imaginary beard to prove my point. But she didn't laugh. Far from it. Instead, she looked at me like I was dirt. I knew full well that she didn't have a beard, but shaving my imaginary hair in another place would be borderline sexual harassment.
"Look at me. I have nothing to shave. Not on my chin, not under my armpits, and not down there."
"Not down there?!"
"Why would she tell anyone about that?"
"Maybe she just wanted to share"
Horikita sighed exasperatedly from Checkmate Horikita's response.
After all, it was the same line she said in our timeline.
No deviation there.
Unlike the information that this school's selection was huge, this one could be useful somewhere down the line.
"Oh? Checkmate Ayanokoji already has nefarious plans for Checkmate Horikita. It would be hilarious if the screen displayed a full-blown sex scene, kukuku!"
Ryuen's vulgar comment got many appalled by his behavior while others were ignoring his presence.
"Ayanokouji-kun. Were you thinking something rude just now?"
"No." I replied and noted that Horikita Suzune doesn't need a razor.
"I have to say I'm a little envious of your ability to babble nonsense to someone you've just met."
So that was a weird thing to do. Hmm.
"Well, I feel you've been saying stupid crap too, and you only just met me."
I changed tactics. Just like a kid, I denied her fact and just turned it onto her with not a single piece of evidence to back me up. I felt proud of this, even though I knew that I shouldn't.
"Fufu, quite petty"
"More like a sore loser"
"Is that so? I merely stated facts. Unlike you."
I let it go this time as I had the feeling I was making her angry every time I talked with her. I would need to sleep a night over it and reevaluate my social skills that seem to be even lower than initially estimated.
We kept walking through the store while she continued picking up the cheapest of each product to save money. I went with a similar strategy since I didn't know how much we were going to be receiving next month. I was sure that the amount was going to change, but I didn't know the exact reasons, and whether the change would affect only the specific student or the entire class.
"If only our class were more doubtful about the 100,000 points..."
Yukimura voice bore of disappointment in himself and our class
Yukimura's sentiment was echoed among classes that weren't Class A
"Although we may face a disadvantage, our efforts will surely bring us to Class A!"
Kushida uttered words of encouragement to Class D
Our class's advancement may be gradual, but we'll steadily climb the ranks
This piqued my curiosity about whether Checkmate Class D's progression will differ from ours...
Horikita just sighed. It almost seemed like she was pitying me for my poor social skills. At that moment, I thought of a new plan to talk to her. Since she was serious all the time, I should try that. Luckily for me, I stumbled upon a rather interesting shelf which was perfect to pique her curiosity.
"Hey. What's up with this?"
I felt her presence draw closer as she peeked over some aisles.
"Free?" she wondered aloud.
Horikita seemed to find it strange as well and examined the daily necessities which were piled up on said shelf. Nearby was a clearance bin, which was labeled 'three items per month'. I wondered if Horikita finally picked up that something was terribly wrong with this school, as she examined the items with narrowed eyes.
The existence of free items should be the first hint for the inattentive students
Checkmate Ayanokoji evaluating Checkmate Suzune's insights on the signs of abnormality in ANHS instills hope that he will steer her towards a better path...
Manabu had an expressful thought on his face.
"Those must be emergency relief supplies for students who used up all of their points. This school really is incredibly lenient," I said to prompt her into an answer after she revealed nothing herself.
I was curious what transpired in her head at this exact moment. But one thing was for certain: she found all of this weird as well. As I was looking forward to her reply, a sudden shout drowned the store's relaxing background music.
"Hey, shut it! Just wait a sec! I'm looking for it right now!"
Sudo lower his head and face palm from the similar actions he conducted in our timeline
"I need to control my anger better.."
He grumble to himself
"Come on, hurry. You have a line of people waiting on you!"
Unfortunately for me, our red-haired classmate stole Horikita's attention away from the strange items. She looked at him, apparently recognizing the boy as well, before shaking her head and leaving to browse through the rest of the store.
Wait! Could that be my chance to make a friend? He was a hothead, but maybe he wasn't that bad if I got to know him properly. I took the risk and made my way towards the counter.
"Thanks Ayanokoji, even in the Checkmate Timeline you're still coming up to me!"
Sudo expressed a soft smile to me
It was weird seeing Sudo with a soft expression, but I felt happy that Sudo complimented me.
"What's going on here?"
He glared towards me with a fierce attitude. Intimidation, however, wouldn't work on me. Good for him, or else I might have stopped my attempt to help him right here out of fear of being beaten up.
"My name is Ayanokouji. I'm from your class. I just asked because it sounded like there was trouble."
"But doesn't he want to avoid trouble? Why embark himself in a troublesome situation?"
"Well he wants to befriend Checkmate Sudo, as they have preexisting acquaintances for being classmates. If it were someone outside his class, He wouldn't engage in that situation"
The boy sporting glasses answers Ibuki's confusion with Checkmate Kiyotaka's actions.
The red-haired boy seemed to calm down after this. He lowered his voice to a normal level and explained the current situation to me.
"Oh. Yeah, I remember you. I forgot my student ID card. Forgot that it pretty much acts as our money from now on, too."
Just as he said this, he put the noodle cups away, probably heading back to his dorms where he left his card. As this would be a giant waste of time and the fact that I could use this situation to make a friend, I offered him a simple solution.
"I can pay for you. Wouldn't it be annoying if you had to head all the way back to the dorms? I don't really mind."
The boy stopped and turned back around to face me. He seemed thankful, yet kind of ashamed, likely because he lashed out at me in the beginning. This reaction confirmed that he wasn't a bad guy, just quick to anger.
"Hopefully he learns to control his anger"
"I doubt it. Our Sudo can't do that to save his life haha"
"He would probably hit a girl out of anger"
Some students in the crowd were ridiculing Checkmate and our Sudo's actions.
Sudo lowered his head in anger and disappointment. This marked a significant improvement, considering that the Sudo in the beginning of the year would have lashed out in fury.
"True. You're right. That would be hella annoying. Thanks. My name's Sudou. I really owe you one."
"Nice to meet you, Sudou." I said as he handed me his noodle cup.
We walked to the hot water dispenser where Horikita seemed to have watched our exchange.
"You're acting like a pushover right from the start. Are you really doing all of this to make friends?"
"I didn't do this to make friends. I just wanted to help."
I lied through my teeth and wondered if I was so easily seen through. I didn't understand what's so wrong with trying to make friends, but if I would have asked her answer would have been something like, 'Friends only drag you down. You are better off without them', or something along those lines. This was the feeling the girl to my right gave off.
"She probably only spouts negativity"
"The only positivity she would express would be directed towards herself"
"Agree with that"
"You don't seem to be afraid."
"Because he looks like a delinquent? You should rather be wary of the ones that don't seem dangerous at a glance."
I flashed her a smile. I wasn't used to moving my facial muscles like that, so it might have looked awkward. Her expression changed into a mixture of slight surprise and bewilderment.
The Auditorium was shocked at Checkmate Ayanokoji smiling.
I was slightly surprised to see myself smile.
So that's what I look when I smile...
"Wow! So he can smile!"
"He has a pretty cute smile. A little awkward but still cute"
"This may be one of the few times he will smile"
*Click*
Someone took a picture of Checkmate Ayanokoji smiling...
What a weird thing to do...
"Isn't anyone a bit concerned about what Checkmate Ayanokoji insinuates about not being seen as dangerous at first glance?"
A student in the crowd of the Auditorium spoke up to say this
"I see him as obviously joking. He seems harmless"
"How can you be so sure about that? Perhaps that's the persona Checkmate Ayanokoji wants to project. Consider the bus scene, where he feigned the intention to give up his seat for the old lady by subtly moving around in his seat. Checkmate Ayanokoji has demonstrated his keen observational skills and intelligence on screen. He may be even more capable than we initially assumed. It's possible that the Ayanokoji in our timeline is holding back his abilities"
Nagumo presents this as a tactic to encourage students to harbor suspicions and become more intrigued by Checkmate Kiyotaka. Additionally, Nagumo's harboring suspicion towards me leads students to also question whether I am truly what I claim to be.
"Did you make a joke just now?"
Ouch.
"I have to admit, it was better than the previous one. But yes, you are right. Normal people would try to keep someone like him at bay."
"That might be the case. Does that mean you are not a normal person yourself?"
I was agonizing if I should take a jab at her while speculating whether she could block it in time. The answer was most likely no, but I couldn't help craving to test where her confidence stemmed from. But right now was not the time to do so.
"I could definitely block an attack from Sudo"
Horikita remarks, but if Sudo attempted to strike her, he would probably hold back.
"Let's finish our shopping. We'll be a bother to the others if we dawdle."
Horikita, who seemed to have read my mind once again, said this before I could even open my mouth.
We presented our cards to the machine at the register and checked out with little trouble. The recipe on the phone showed the price of each item and the remaining amount of points. Since I didn't know how to use these cups, I observed Sudou. He skillfully opened the lid and poured water inside until it reached a red line, which seemed simple enough. I copied his actions as he walked outside.
"Filling a cup of instant ramen with water isn't skillful at all.."
"Well to him it is. After all, it's likely his first ever time having ramen with his parents dictating how he consumes food"
Alone with Horikita, I once again tried to get a reaction out of her regarding the school's point policy.
"Horikita, what do you think? How does the school benefit from giving us so much money?"
"I wonder. The campus has more than enough facilities for the number of students. Handing out this much money might prove detrimental to students who should be studying."
Yeah, that too. But that was not the point I was trying to make. Was she messing with me right now? She couldn't possibly be this ignorant.
"She has the right idea, but directed towards the wrong area"
Nagumo spoke out
She would prioritize studying over considering the private points comprehensively within the school and among her classmates. Checkmate Ayanokoji is particularly intrigued of evaluating her potential...
Horikita look at the screen with a thoughtful expression
"I won't tell you what to do, but I think it would be best to avoid wasting your money on useless products. Once a person gets used to the easy life, there is no easy way to fix them. When you suddenly lose the money, the shock can be great."
Did she perhaps pick up on everything but kept it to herself? She warned me, so that meant she should have doubts as well. But why not voice them? Was she trying to probe me while I was trying to probe her? Whatever the case, I wouldn't show my cards this soon.
"Oh? So he'll play an active role in his class then?"
"That's what he's insinuating. I wonder if he'll be the leader of Class D"
"Maybe he'll be a tyrant?"
"Or possibly a dictator?"
"I'll keep that in mind."
After exiting the store, I found Sudou squatting outside, apparently waiting for me. When our eyes met, he beckoned me over. I returned the gesture, feeling slightly embarrassed, yet happy.
"Aww that's cute!"
"Cutie!"
"Its like watching a baby bird spread their wings for the first time"
What a weird analogy to describe Checkmate Kiyotaka making a friend.
Did I make a friend just now? Was he my first friend? Wait... could Horikita be considered my friend as well? We talked a lot today. Did something like that make us friends? I didn't talk with Sudou as much, but he seemed to be strangely inviting. Could there be multiple correct ways to make friends?
"Checkmate Horikita would be an acquaintance as she has no interest in being friends. With Checkmate Sudo, Checkmate Ayanokoji hit it off better with him than her despite the lack of interaction. He even invited Checkmate Ayanokoji to eat with him."
"Are you really going to eat here?" I asked aloud, noticing the lack of tables or chairs.
"Of course. It's common sense."
His answer perplexed me to no end. Common sense dictated to eat at a table, preferably while sitting on a chair. He crouched on the ground while stirring through his cup noodles as if it was an everyday occurrence. While I was confused, yet intrigued about this new common sense I had just discovered, Horikita exhaled in exasperation.
"Sometimes I like eating on the floor rather than on a table"
"Eww that's dirty!"
"Oh come on! I always clean my floors!"
"I'm going back. I'll be stripped of my dignity if I spend more time here."
"Dignity? We're just high school students. We're ordinary. Are you the high-born daughter of some noble or something, huh?"
Horikita had no physical reaction to Sudou's harsh tone. She kept walking without turning an eye, which made the already short-fused Sudou explode into a fit of rage.
"Hey, listen when people are talking to you."
Horikita spun around and focused on me before opening her mouth. "What's his problem? He just suddenly got angry."
I once again had to reevaluate the girl known as Horikita Suzune. She wasn't just cold. She was arctic. Thinking back on our conversation from before, I felt that it was the right decision to skip the introductions. With her harsh attitude, she would have pissed off the whole class.
"Horikita-girl introduction, with its scornful tone, would never affect me no matter the Timeline."
Kouenji casually remarks as he meticulously brushes his hair
"Hey! Get over here! I'll smack that smug look off your face," Sudou's strong voice reverberated through the campus.
"Knew he would hit a girl!"
"Well it wasn't the fact that Checkmate Horikita was a girl, it was her uptight attitude that piss him off"
My glance unconsciously moved towards the cameras that were placed all around here. It would be bad if a fight were to break out, even though I would love to see what she would do to 'rebuff' him. I would have to check that at a later date.
"He really wants to see her fight?"
"So she'll lose miserably?"
"Well he's weirdly obsessed with evaluating her capabilities..."
"Sudou, I admit that Horikita has a bad attitude. But I think you are taking things too far."
"Huh?" He turned towards me. His patience had finally run out, that much was obvious. If I did not diffuse the situation accordingly, he would let his fists do the talking. "What was that? She has a bratty, obnoxious attitude. That's bad, especially for a girl."
"Especially for a girl? Gross.."
"What about himself? Shouldn't he not be so loud and abrasive over the smallest of actions?"
Sudo expression bore of shame
Checkmate Sudo comments towards Checkmate Horikita are very similar to what he said in our timeline
Sudo was going to apologize to Horikita, but she stopped him.
"Sudo, all of this occurred in the past within our timeline. I failed to see the necessity in apologizing for every past action. You've already demonstrated improvement Sudo"
"O-oh alright Horikita-san, thanks..."
I was surprised at his level of vocabulary. While I formulated a response that wouldn't send him over the edge, Horikita's voice cut into our conversation, making things much worse.
"For a girl? That's rather outdated thinking, is it not? Ayanokouji, I would advise you not to become his friend."
"Hey! Wait, you shitty stuck-up bitch!"
His movements suggested that he wanted to go after her, and not because he wanted to hold a friendly chat. I grabbed him by the arm, rooting him in place.
He seized his movements, so I let go of his arm. He stomped back to his noodle cup, ripped off the cover, which was already halfway open, and sat down. If he didn't feel like he owed me right now, he likely would have blown up into my face instead of Horikita's.
"The hell is her deal? Goddamn it!"
"I don't like her attitude, but it's not like he's better"
"Two people I would avoid"
"Atleast the Sudo seem like a chill person to hang out if you get onto his good side"
"Those sexist comments made me really dislike him"
Remarks about both Checkmate Sudo and our Sudo circulate throughout the Auditorium.
Sudo absorbed it all in with a tired sigh and a hand pressed to his face in exasperation
After a short round of cursing, he started squeezing the noodles into his mouth. As I was about to do the same, three students arrived in front of us. They were staring at Sudou with a peculiar glint in their eyes.
"Hey, you guys first years? This is our spot."
Sudou stopped slurping his noodles and glared at the three guys who had just left the store. They were holding onto their own noodle cups, proving that Sudou was correct and this was indeed 'common sense'. Since he was already agitated, my classmate barked at them like a ferocious beast without advanced warning. To be fair, he would have most
likely snarled at them, without being in an unusually bad mood as well.
"Who are you? I was here first, so get lost."
"Get lost," one of them mimicked Sudou with a whiny voice.
"You believe this guy?"
"What a cocky little first-year punk."
"The hell wrong with these upperclassmen?"
"Acting all superior and shit when they're in Class C.."
"What a bunch of jerks!"
"They are already making Checkmate Sudo's day worst"
Those three upperclassmen lowered their heads so as not to be seen by others.
The three of them laughed in Sudou's face. He shot up while slamming his cup against the ground. The warm broth and noodles splashed everywhere. I felt kind of bad for them. They did nothing wrong, yet they were smashed into the ground without a second thought.
"What a waste of perfectly good ramen..."
"You tryin' to make fun of me?!"
As expected, this was going to end badly if I didn't do something. But maybe this was fine for the moment. I might gain some information from them while they were riling each other up. I resolved myself to step in once Sudou got violent.
"Fun of you? We would never. We were just here first. See?"
They plopped down their bags right in front of us and once again amused themselves with Sudou's reactions.
"Now beat it."
"You assholes got a lot of guts."
Sudou scowled at them. It wouldn't be long until his fists would burst into their faces. I briefly debated if I should let him run wild to check how far the rumoured 'anything' applied, but decided against it since there were better ways to check my hypothesis without endangering one of my classmates.
"Moreover, with the camera present, Checkmate Sudo would bear the brunt of the consequences if the altercation were to occur. The three upperclassmen could effortlessly manipulate the situation to their advantage "
Manabu diligently spoke.
How intriguing, Checkmate Ayanokoji was going to use Checkmate Sudo to gauge the cost of erasing that altercation using private points, testing the boundaries of the "buy anything with private points" concept
"Ohh scary. What class are you in? Wait, let me guess: it's D, isn't it?"
The three of them found this hilarious and once again roared aloud. I would do the same if I could, because they gave me some useful information with that single rash remark.
"Yeah. So what?"
"He really is! I knew it. He was a dead giveaway!"
"Huh?! What's that supposed to mean? Hey!"
Sudou took a step forward. While the boys stepped back with condescending grins on their faces.
"Hey! Don't run away! Dammit!"
"Yeah, yeah. Keep on shouting around like that. You'll be in hell soon enough."
"Damn, if only the camera could pick up audio. Those three are revealing information they shouldn't be"
"Those snobby bastards, no wonder they're in Class C"
"We should punish them in our timeline!"
Due to the spiteful comments, those three upperclassmen were sweaty buckets.
Be in hell, huh? Did they have a White Room here as well?
.......
The White Room...
"Huh? What's a White Room?"
"The way he speaks of it, it's probably similar to AHNS?"
"But wouldn't that be impossible? Unless "The White Room" is a major institution, there's no conceivable way this "White Room" could resemble ANHS. I mean it would require substantial funding to match ANHS and I have never heard of a "White Room" before.
"Maybe that's how Checkmate Ayanokoji refers to his upbringing and education back home?"
"So, are you suggesting that his parents built a school exclusively for him, named it the White Room, and subjected him to "hell" there?"
Speculations rose upon Checkmate Kiyotaka uttering the words White Room.
But I notice two peculiar reactions to the name "White Room"
Sakayagani's grin was tainted with venom
Kanzaki's eyes slightly widen with gaze shifting from the screen to me
"Ayanokoji-kun, do you know what Checkmate Ayanokoji-kun is talking about?"
Kushida probing lead all eyes to be on me
Their gazes brimmed with suspicion, confusion, and a subtle hint of excitement
"I have absolutely no clue what Checkmate Ayanokoji is referring to. I presumed we would share the same background because, despite the differences, it's still me. My parents aren't affluent enough to create White Room. This could be the most significant disparity between me and Checkmate Ayanokoji"
Lying about my knowledge about the White Room would highlight the most significant distinction between me and Checkmate Kiyotaka. While interest would rise about the White Room, many would perceive it as associated with Checkmate Kiyotaka, rather than myself.
Those people seemed similar to Sudou and, clear by their behavior towards us, they wouldn't be in class D themselves. Did this mean that classes A, B and C are deemed superior to ours? It looked that way. Or at least, the students in this school thought that way.
"He's already getting closer to the truth..."
Tachibana spoke with insight
"Why the hell did these morons need to show up? I wouldn't have complained about nice second-year students or cute girls."
"No girl would find him cute anyway"
"Quit being so judgemental..."
He thrust his hands into his pockets and walked away while grumbling about his bad luck. A sudden gust of wind blew through the campus, which made the cup roll around on the ground with a strange, yet satisfying sound.
I placed my own on the asphalt nearby and started cleaning up the mess Sudou had made. After I was done, I picked up my cup and took my first bite. It wasn't bad, maybe a bit too salty for my taste, but decent. If one wasn't concerned about healthy food, this would be a cheap alternative indeed.
On my way to the dorm, I walked by a store that was filled with games. I stepped inside and browsed through different board and computer games, just to get a feel for things like that. Ike and Yamauchi were standing at the register. Both bought some kind of portable gaming console and looked in my direction before leaving the store.
Now this was a major deviation. After cleaning up the ramen mess caused by Sudo, I immediately went to the dormitory to received my keycard
What is Checkmate Ayanokoji going to do? Is he going to buy some games to have fun?
I guess they didn't see me. It was also possible that they didn't recognize me, but that would be horrible. Yes, I'm sure that they didn't see me because something was in the way. I only saw them because I have such exceptional eyesight. That must've been it.
I grabbed the board games I decided on and proceeded to the register to check out. Funnily enough, these items cost almost as much as anything else I had just bought from the convenience store.
♙♘♗♖♕♔ 🄲🅷🄴🅲🄺🅼🄰🆃🄴 ♚♛♜♝♞♟
"Chess?"
"Chess is fun!"
"Im an amaetur but chess is fun once you practice a lot"
"Ayanokoji, you never talk about playing chess. Would this be Checkmate Ayanokoji's first time playing chess?"
Matsushita ask this question
"Actually, I do have some experience playing chess. It was a pastime at home, though my knowledge of it is somewhat limited"
"Chess isn't something I would indulge in. It's too slow pace for me"
Matsushita's gaze went back into the screen
A few minutes later, I arrived at the dorm, which would be my home from now on. The nice lady at the reception gave me a key for Room 401 as well as a handbook containing information about the dorm's rules and regulations. After boarding the elevator, I swiftly browsed through the handbook and made some mental notes about the policies and garbage disposal times. After scanning through it, I closed the guidebook just in time for the elevator to stop on the floor my room was on.
I opened the apartment to be greeted by a place that was about eight tatami mats wide. This was the first time I realized that I would live on my own from now on. Considering that, I cracked a smile.
Or did I? I wasn't entirely sure about that, but I believed that I was.
"He's doubting himself. We clearly saw him smiled on the screen"
"Maybe he always doubts himself."
After everything I've been through, I was finally, for the first time in my life, free. I resolved myself to enjoy my time here to the fullest, without drawing attention to myself. After storing the necessities I had bought in the convenience store, I grabbed the board game I had purchased.
"But his so-called "freedom" is only for 3 years, once his boring school journey is over, it's back to his narcissistic parents. Who am I kidding? He'll probably get expelled before he could even live all those 3 years in Checkmate and our timeline"
Ryuen is wrong..
I will protect my freedom within this school no matter what...
I placed it in one of the corners of my room, which would have been a perfect place for a vase with some flowers inside, or something like that. I opened the box, pulled the contents out, and set them on the table. The 64 pieces inside the box were neatly set up beside the board, waiting to be placed. Of these 64 pieces, 16 each were painted in a specific color: red, blue, yellow and green.
I took one of the red pieces and placed it on the white square k4. This was the equivalent to h4 on a normal two-player board.
After this, the screen went black.
"He's playing four-way chess by himself..?"
Kamuro express confusion by Checkmate Ayanokoji's actions
"Kamuro-san, I believe those chess pieces carries a deeper significance than you realize"
Sakayanagi spoke to Kamuro with a slight smirk on his face
Four different colors and 16 pieces each.....!! No way Princess is insinuating those chess pieces are supposed to represent our classes...
Hashimoto had a contemplative expression on his face
Fufu, it seems that Checkmate Ayanokoji wants to play in the class battle...I can't wait to see Checkmate Arisu battle him....
No way someone would play 4 way chess by themselves. Red, blue, yellow, and green pieces must represent his year. It seems he's already made his first move....
Like Sakayanagi, Nagumo harbored a smirk across his thoughtful expression
I don't know how chess works but I know damn well those pieces hold significance. The fact that chess is a central theme of this screening, stated by that weirdo chess man suggests that these pieces symbolize the first year. Kuku Checkmate Ayanokoji is already making his first move? Well regardless of his actions in the upcoming screenings, my Checkmate self will crush him.
Ryuen's eyes sparkled with excitement as a wicked grin spread across his face
4 way chess, chess being a central theme, red, blue, yellow, green...are those meant to represent the first year?. Is Checkmate Ayanokoji going to lead Class D? He's already shown to be more capable than our Ayanokoji with his intelligence and keen observation. Will he be the key for Checkmate Class D to fully rise up in the rankings?
Matsushita wore a pensive expression
Checkmate Ayanokoji is viewing the class battle as if it were a chess game. If we continue to observe from his perspective, he'll begin assigning roles to individuals from both his own class and his competitors, designating them as pawns or queens....
Manabu had his hands pushing up onto his glasses wearing a thoughtful expression
Will Checkmate Ayanokoji reveal all of his abilities upfront? I'm skeptical. Ayanokoji avoids attention and trouble, as evidenced by his ideals shared by Checkmate Ayanokoji. He'll likely assist from the background, using others as a means to divert attention away from himself...
Horikita bore a complicated expression on her face
So that's Checkmate Kiyotaka's plan.
I'm already brainstorming ideas on how this will all unfold...
The thoughtful conversation and occasional chatter came to a halt as the Chess-themed Man's deep voice resonated through the microphone
♙♘♗♖♕♔ 🄲🅷🄴🅲🄺🅼🄰🆃🄴 ♚♛♜♝♞♟
AN: Hello everyone! Thank you for waiting for this chapter!
Sorry for the massive wait! I was rather busy with school and other important things.
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!
I would love to hear your thoughts and criticism
Credits go to Syougo Kinugasa and Kiku_6037.
Hopefully, I'll see you next week!
(Words 8773)