Arisu POV
Most people are involved with many relationships as soon as they are born and continue to create many more throughout their lives; family, friends, acquaintances, students, teachers, and lovers are all examples of such relationships.
Growing up however, I've had very limited relationships with other people. This was most likely due to my mindset even as a child.
My father would often tell me that the things I said were not the things a normal kid my age should have been thinking, but I suppose it was to be expected, I was a natural born genius after all. Despite my lack in physical ability, my intellegence would always more than make up for it.
I would manipulate others into helping me and ensure that no one would oppose me. To me, everyone else was nothing but a puppet to control for the sake of my entertainment, and those who went against me would most definitely be destroyed.
I was (and am), by no means normal, so building relationships outside of my family, and especially a relationship of lovers where I genuinely cared for my significant other was not something I had expected to do in my life. But then again, my partner was someone just as messed up as I was.
Through our time spent together, I understood that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was someone who manipulated others just as I did. He trusted no one, held no attachments, and saw those around him as tools to achieve his victory. Even I have become one of those tools.
A tool to help him obtain his crave for knowledge...
A tool to let him understand the concept of human relationships.
Not too long ago, during one of his frequent visits, I had proposed to to become his girlfriend in order to soothe his curiousity of an emotion that was constantly remaining in his head. An emotion that had him confused to the point where he left his birthplace, and the emotion he had never expirienced. The emotion called love.
If one were to look at our relationship objectively, there would be no doubt in my mind that they would consider it to be messed up, but I knew the terms of being in this relationship.
I knew that despite the fact that he was mine, and I was his, that he held no love for me.
I knew that I would only be used in order to answer his curiousity.
And I knew that these conditions were not my ideal ones for a relationship, but circumstances being what they are, I understood that Kiyotaka was someone incapable of feeling an emotion such as love.
His first sight when he came into this world was not of his parents, but that of completely white walls. A prison void of colour. He was raised in a loveless environment lacking any rights or human contact with his soul purpose for existing being, "to become perfect." It's not surprising that love wouldn't come to him easily, so given the opportunity, I resolved myself.
To make him fall for me, I will do whatever it takes.
Spring break was nearing it's end with school rapidly approaching and I was currently on my way to Kiyotaka'a room. After my confession 2 days ago, we had agreed that we would begin calling each other by our first names and meet up today for our first date.
Normally, he would be the one heading to my room since avoiding people was easier for him, but I persisted that it would be better to have the date in his room. I wanted to know more about him, and not just his thoughts, but how he lived too.
*Knock knock
After a few moments of waiting, the door began to open.
"Hello Kiyotaka, may I come in?"
"Please do."
As I walked into his room, I noticed that it was very clean, or rather, very empty. It had no decorations and only contained his daily necessities for living.
"This room, what should I say... it's just like you."
"Was that supposed to be a compliment?"
He had a raised eyebrow while questioning my intentions. Naturally, being compared to a plain room with only the necessities present would make a person doubt the implication of that sentence.
"No, not really..."
Hearing my reply, he shrugged his shoulders, as expected, he wouldn't really care what others thought of him.
Not many people would like the true Kiyotaka. Sure he had a lot of good qualities such as his physical and academic abilities, but most people would definitely draw back if they knew the face under the mask. He lacked any empathy and was someone very cold by nature, but-
"-But I like it."
"..... I see. I'm glad you do."
He went over to the kitchen as I made my way to the couch.
"Would you like some tea or coffee?"
"Tea please."
This date will be the first time we hang out without the intention of playing games, the only thing we wanted to do was to enjoy each other's company. We both knew that this wasn't going to be an easy task however, as neither of us had any experience with love, but learning new things together with him will be something enjoyable.
"Did you find out anything new about Acting Director Tsukishiro by the way?"
"No, nothing really."
If this conversation had taken place 2 weeks ago, before we started meeting frequently, I might have fallen for it.
"Kiyotaka, I'm your girlfriend now right? It's alright if you want to keep some things a secret for now, but this is something I won't let you keep to yourself."
His acting was on point, anyone who did't know how he truly is wouldn't have known he was lying, but of course, I was different.
As if noticing that I wouldn't budge on this he let out a sigh while walking towards me with our drinks in hand.
"While I was going around Keyaki mall to buy some clothes and supplies for school yesterday, I ran into him. As you could probably guess, he was threatening to expel me, but he also mentioned something about a student from the White Room joining the school next year."
By his phrasing, I could deduce that this was the only time he had an encounter with Tsukishiro since the final special exam last year.
"From the White Room huh? Well this will get interesting. But I guess it would only be troublesome for you."
With a new batch of 1st years coming, it was truly an excellent move made by Tsukishiro. Normally, I would have been thrilled from the arrival of more entertaining toys, but this situation put Kiyotaka in a bad position.
I've only gotten a glance at the White Room a few times, so I didn't really know on which students to expect. Everyone but Kiyotaka at the time seemed to blend into the background, but it's been over 9 years since my last visit.
"Don't worry too much about it. Although it is true that many excellent students have been formed there, none of them can reach my level. Whether it's the previous generations or the 5th, where the student will most likely come from."
Noticing my slight decomposure, he had answered the question that had me a little anxious.
"You're very confident aren't you? Well I suppose you weren't considered the 'most successful' for no reason. Despite being made an artificial genius, you were also a genius from birth, that much was clear when I first saw you."
It is true that I had my worries, but either way, it didn't really matter to me how good the student was. If they oppose Kiyotaka, they oppose me, and just like the rest, they will fall.
"..."
"Fufu..."
"... Arisu, can I ask what you're doing?"
"What ever do you mean? I'm simply sitting down with my lover."
To dispel the serious atmosphere we built while talking about the White Room, I decided to lighten the mood a bit.
"You're quite bold considering this is our first date."
"I suppose that's true, but to me it feels like we've known each other for much longer."
I took the daring position of sitting in front of him, between his legs as he was forced to slide back on the couch. Then I slowly leaned back until my head was resting on his chest. It was much broader and tougher than I had thought, the level of training he did in the White Room became very clear to me at that moment along with something else... he wasn't used to human contact.
It became painfully obvious as I could feel him become confused as to what to do. If he had been given a warning, perhaps he could have reacted accordingly, but in the current situation, all he could do was desperately try and find a comfortable position for his hands without touching me.
White Room or not, he was still a growing boy with growing hormones, so this should have shaken his usual calm attitude.
I let out an amused giggle as I watched his hands move restlessly. It was precisely because I suspected he wasn't used to acts of intimacy that I did this. If I wanted him to understand love, I first needed to show him the value of human warmth.
A few seconds passed and I decided to give him a lifeline as I took hold of his hands and placed them in a position where he was hugging me from behind.
I originally planned on doing this mostly for him, but it seems my desires got the better of me. There were many things I could have done to assist him at that time, however, the feeling of wanting to get embraced decided my movements.
We sat in a comfortable silence as my body was filled with a familiar warmth. A warmth I only felt when I was around him, but it was far stronger and much more relaxing than before.
"Hhhhnnngggghhh"
Without realizing it, a strange noise escaped my mouth as he began caressing my head gently. In response, I subconsciously started nuzzling my head on his hand and chest.
My feelings of care and concern for anything else gradually disappeared as the time flew by. The White Room, the upcoming years along with the countless special exams, Tsukishiro, the school, all of it felt became numb as I felt like I could just melt in his presence.
I didn't know how long it lasted, nor did I care, but I suddenly snapped back to reality when I heard a rythm of knocks at the door.
*Knock, knock-knock
Author's Note
If you're wondering how Sakayanagi got to Kiyo's room without getting noticed despite being crippled, the answer is actually quite obvious. PLOT CONVINIENCE.
Also, I'm considering on putting my other fanfic on hiatus. My poor planning skills have left me struggling to progress the plot in a way that is worthy of COTE. Of course I'll make an announcement there soon, but this is just a heads up for you guys that are waiting for it.