I still remember that day vividly.
As a member of the "5th Generation," I mechanically went through the White Room's curriculum. That was my daily life. That was the norm.
Even when I try to recall my memories, all that comes to mind is a blank, white room from the past. I had already vaguely sensed it—that this facility wasn't normal.
This facility's educational philosophy was to produce artificial geniuses. To see how much they could elevate ordinary people to the level of geniuses. To see how far they could surpass geniuses. It was nothing more than an experimental ground.
"Ahh… Aaahh…"
Combat training was one of the curriculum programs.
A boy from the same "5th Generation" writhed in pain, clutching his stomach after taking my attack.
"St… stop…"
"Sorry. It's an order, after all."
Holding back wasn't allowed in combat training. I delivered the finishing blow to the suffering boy. I felt no guilt. That emotion had long since disappeared. Or maybe I never had it to begin with.
"The test is over. Ichika Amasawa, return to your room."
A white-coated adult, one of the White Room staff, gave me my evaluation, marking the end of today's curriculum. Well, even if I went back to my room, there was nothing I could do on my own anyway.
"..."
On my way back, I passed by another 5th Generation student. He was muttering something under his breath like a delirious chant, which would seem bizarre to an outsider—but for someone who knew the circumstances, it was a different story.
"Kiyotaka Ayanokouji and Yagami Yato… huh."
Words I heard every single day since coming to this facility.
'Become an existence that surpasses Kiyotaka Ayanokouji.'
'Become an existence that surpasses Yagami Yato.'
How many times had I heard those words in my life so far?
The two masterpieces of the White Room. Until now, no one had ever surpassed their records.
No matter how well I performed, my results were always compared to those two "4th Generation" masterpieces and discarded like scraps of paper.
But none of the other kids believed it.
They thought it was all a lie to motivate us.
That there had never been any masterpieces to begin with.
Honestly, I didn't care either way. Whether those masterpieces existed or not, I just did as I was told. There was a fatal flaw in my humanity.
That kid I passed by earlier was just another pitiful soul, tormented by the existence of someone who might not even be real.
"Thinking of it as preferential treatment would be better, though~"
Compared to the 4th Generation, I think we had it pretty good.
High-achieving students in the "5th Generation" were allowed to interact with others, but the "4th Generation" was forbidden from even making contact with anyone, let alone holding conversations.
If you kept up with the curriculum under those conditions, your mind would break in no time.
"Fuaaah… Time to sleep."
The very next day after such carefree thoughts—
My, no, the entire 5th Generation's sense of reality was completely shattered.
.......
One day, the curriculum was suddenly interrupted, and all of us fifth-generation students were taken to a particular room by the adult staff.
Normally, this would have been our training time—gathering like this and moving as a group had never happened before.
"We've heard rumors spreading among you," one of the staff members said. "That Kiyotaka Ayanokouji and Yagami Yato... these two don't actually exist."
The door to the room opened, and all of us were led inside.
"Below us, in the training grounds, the two surviving masterpieces of the fourth generation are carrying out their curriculum. Every single one of their records is worthy of being called the ultimate prodigies."
Silence fell, the air growing heavy.
None of us fifth-generation students wanted to accept those words.
None of us wanted to hear what came next.
And yet, mercilessly, the words were spoken.
"Kiyotaka Ayanokouji and Yagami Yato... they do exist."
None of the children reacted to the truth delivered by the staff.
No—perhaps they simply didn't want to believe it.
Because believing it would mean everything they knew would crumble.
A large window in the room allowed us to observe the training grounds below. We were all told to look, and so, hesitantly, the fifth-generation students peered through the glass—directly witnessing the two figures for the first time.
That was when I, too, saw the so-called "masterpieces."
"No way... no way..."
"Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies—"
"Amazing... this is too much...!"
The monotonously produced results. Every single one of them defies common sense.
The reactions of the 5th generation students vary.
Some avert their eyes from reality.
Some go mad from the sheer shock.
Some have their minds broken.
Some worship them.
And then––––––some harbor hatred.
With cool expressions, not a drop of sweat, simply mechanical.
The sight of the two effortlessly completing the curriculum. Their eyes held no trace of vitality.
"...?"
The other kids were reacting in all sorts of ways, but there was something else that caught my attention more than that.
"Um, I understand that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is the son of the Director. But... who is Yagami Yūto?"
In this White Room, the one who holds the highest authority is the father of that one masterpiece, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
I know that. I understand it.
I could instinctively tell that he was special.
––––––But what about him?
Yagami Yūto. The other masterpiece.
What makes him special?
How is he different from the rest of us?
Faced with the flood of questions filling my mind, the staff member answered without shifting their gaze.
"Yagami Yūto is the same as all of you. He is not the Director's child like Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, nor was he born with innate talent. Just an ordinary person. Just a human."
"Just... a human...?"
That... is the same as us?
Him, one of the masterpieces?
I couldn't take my eyes off Yagami Yūto.
I wanted to know––instinctively––everything about him.
How he moved, how he acted, how he spoke, what his voice sounded like. What kind of person he was.
"––––––––Ah."
For an instant, just a fleeting moment.
I thought our eyes met through the mirror.
It must have been a coincidence. Impossible. And yet...
"Huh? Me... I'm smiling? Why am I...?"
The reflection in the mirror showed my face––wearing an expression of pure, heartfelt joy. A smile I had never made before.
"Ah, I'm smiling? Right now, from the bottom of my heart... for the first time in my life...!?"
Even as the smile formed, a single tear spilled over.
"I'm happy! So happy!! I'm smiling! My heart is rejoicing!! Yagami Yūto...! It's because of him...!?"
I felt my chest tighten.
I felt my heart yearning for him.
I felt my pulse quicken.
I felt my face grow hot.
For the first time, I had felt it. A truly human emotion.
Now, I couldn't look away from him.
The voices of the 5th generation, even Ayanokouji Kiyotaka––none of them mattered anymore.
Him. Only he could captivate my entire being.
I wanted––––––everything about him.
I wanted to give all of myself to him.
For the first time in my life, I felt like I had found my reason to live.
.......
That day, I was allowed to return to my room without any further training.
My mood was at its peak. Even my usual plain white room seemed to glow. Normally, I would go straight to sleep upon returning, but today's impact had been too overwhelming.
"Yagami Yūto… Yūto, Yūto-kun ♪"
His face wouldn't leave my mind. At first, I didn't understand this feeling, but I quickly realized—it was love.
I had only seen him once, and he probably wasn't even aware of my existence. But as time passed, my feelings for Yūto-kun only grew stronger.
"But… as I am now, I can't meet him."
This facility runs on meritocracy. The winners remain, the losers are discarded.
I wanted to get closer to him. So, I resolved to push myself harder than ever before—all for the sake of standing beside Yūto-kun, to become his equal. Even if the gap in our abilities was vast, I just wanted to be near him, even a little.
"If I become one of the so-called 'masterpieces'… maybe then I can go see him?"
After all, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was training in the same facility as Yūto-kun. If I became a masterpiece too, maybe I could go there. Maybe I could stand beside him.
Since my performance in the White Room was already exceptional, when I asked to observe Yūto-kun's training, the staff—mistaking my request for heightened ambition—allowed me to watch.
"So cool… ♪ So cool, Yūto-kun… ♪"
Even just seeing him through the mirror made my face flush and my lips curl into a smile. The thought that these emotions belonged to him and him alone filled me with indescribable joy.
.......
The Day the White Room Was Attacked
Around the time the number of 5th-generation children had dwindled, the White Room was attacked.
Of course, we followed the staff's instructions and evacuated. But deep down, I didn't care. Nothing interested me except Yūto-kun. The attack, the escape—none of it mattered. The only thing I could say for sure was that I wanted to see him.
"Haah… how boring."
I wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the evacuation, so I lagged behind the other 5th-gen kids as I walked along the escape route, hands clasped behind my head, watching the White Room collapse around me.
And then—
"...Eh?"
I saw something unbelievable.
"––––––Yūto… kun?"
Someone dashed past me at an incredible speed.
I only caught a glimpse, but I knew. I had imagined him in my mind countless times, thinking of him over and over.
Maybe he noticed me calling his name—because for a brief moment, he stopped and looked at me.
The other kids had already evacuated. Only I, the straggler, remained.
Why? Why is he here? Shouldn't he be evacuating? Huh? I had so much I wanted to say… but no words came out.
"...How do you know me? Who are you?"
His voice—I was hearing it for the first time.
Our eyes met clearly for the first time.
In his pitch-black pupils, void of any emotion, I saw my own reflection. His attention was on me.
That fact alone made me so happy I had to bite back tears.
"Ah… uh…"
My emotions were a tangled mess. I couldn't speak properly.
"...Never mind."
After a single glance, he turned to leave.
"Ah… ah…! W-Wait…!"
I wanted to talk to him more. I wanted to be near him. After finally meeting him, after finally hearing his voice—he was leaving, mercilessly. No, don't go…!
I reached out, but his figure was already growing distant.
And then—
"––––––I love you!!"
Right before he disappeared from sight, I screamed out my feelings.
I didn't know if he heard me.
But I absolutely refused to let this be our goodbye.
......
After the White Room was attacked, we were transferred to another facility. The quality was slightly lower than before, but we continued with the usual curriculum.
"Ehehe~ ♪"
Even during breaks, I couldn't help but smile. Right now, I was in an incredibly good mood.
"I wonder if Yūto-kun heard me? What if he did~? That would've been a love confession, wouldn't it? How embarrassing~ ♪"
The incident from the other day would probably go down in records as a blemish on the White Room's history—but for me, it was the best day of my life. After all, I got to talk to Yūto-kun. I got to scream my feelings at him.
Even within the White Room, there had been some changes. While the facility was being restored, we were allowed to learn a little about the outside world. I didn't know what their reasoning was, but for me, any extra knowledge was welcome.
Lately, it had become a habit of mine to visit the room where books were kept during breaks. Today, as I was heading there, I overheard some staff members talking in hushed voices.
.....
The conversation between the staff members reached my ears as I passed by.
"Hey. They still haven't found Yagami Yūto?"
"No. Normally, someone escaping from the facility would be easy to track down… but for some reason, there's no trace of him."
"I can't believe he slipped away during the attack. Wasn't that facility in the middle of nowhere? How did he even get out?"
"No clue. Either way, Yagami Yūto is gone—completely disappeared from the White Room. No leads, no sightings… hell, we don't even know if he's still—"
My breath caught in my throat.
He… escaped?
A sharp thrill shot through me, so sudden it made my fingers tremble.
Yūto-kun was gone.
Not just from the White Room—from their control. From everything.
The thought should have terrified me. Instead, it sent a strange, giddy warmth flooding through my chest.
Of course he got away.
Of course he vanished.
Because he was like me. No—better than me. A true masterpiece.
And now… he was free.
A slow smile curled at the edges of my lips as I turned away, the staff's voices fading behind me.
I had a new goal now.
I would find him.
No matter what it took.
....
The words struck me like a physical blow.
Yūto-kun... escaped?
That time when he appeared before me—was that...?
"No... no..."
I clenched my teeth, fighting back the wave of hysteria threatening to overtake me.
A White Room without Yūto-kun had no meaning. Everything turned monochrome. My chest ached.
"Yūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunYūto-kunIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehimIwannaseehim"
I love him, I adore him, I'm in love with him—
...Yet I can't see him.
"Yū...to...kun...!"
When it became unbearable, I'd comfort myself like always.
If I didn't, the anguish would swallow me whole.
Even without Yūto-kun, the White Room's training continued unchanged.
But quitting wasn't an option. Though part of me wanted to shrink away, I maintained top marks among the 5th generation.
I clung to the belief that someday, I'd see Yūto-kun again. That faith alone kept me pushing through the brutal curriculum.
Then, one day—
"You two will enroll at Advanced Nurturing High School and bring Kiyotaka back to the White Room from within."
Summoned by the founder, Ayanokōji-sensei, myself and another top performer received our orders.
Apparently, Ayanokōji Kiyotaka had enrolled at this high school through some scheme involving a man named Matsuo. Our mission was to infiltrate as first-years and force his expulsion.
I understood the task, but motivation eluded me.
True, I considered Ayanokōji Kiyotaka special—godlike, even. But without Yūto-kun here, how could I possibly care?
The other student beside me seemed brimming with enthusiasm, though.
Just as I thought this—
"And know this—the other masterpiece, Yagami Yūto, has also enrolled at this school. Retrieving Kiyotaka takes priority, but Yagami's retrieval is equally non-negotiable. Keep this in mind. The details will be relayed separately."
"——————"
With only those words, the director left.
I... can go where he is.
I can see him.
I can... touch him...?
Stunned into silence, I barely registered the other 5th-gen student leaving with a low, guttural laugh.
"Oh... right. I... I get to see Yūto-kun..."
Alone in the empty room, tears of pure joy streamed down my face. I'd never cried like this in my life.
"I have to... become more charming."
From that moment, preparations began. Studying current trends, mannerisms boys find appealing—anything to make myself more captivating in Yūto-kun's eyes.
"Wait for me... Yūto-senpai♡"
.....
After helping first-year student Amasawa Ichika, who nearly fell down the stairs, I was on my way home.
That part was fine, but...
"Why are you following me, Amasawa?"
"Ehh~? Can't I follow you?"
I stopped by Keyaki Mall on my way home to buy a cake for Hiyori, who was waiting for me, but Amasawa had been tailing me the entire time.
"I had some business at Keyaki Mall too, y'know~"
"Even so, you don't need to follow me, do you?"
"Senpai, you're so cold~ You should be nicer to your kouhai!"
"That's not even the issue here."
She kept patting my back as she spoke. Every little gesture of hers felt calculated—like she was deliberately trying to draw me in.
What was her goal in following me? According to the OAA, Amasawa's academic ability was an A. At that level, there's no way she'd need to pair up with someone like me, who's only average.
"Well, to be honest, I'm super interested in Hikigaya-senpai right now."
"I don't think there's anything about me worth being interested in."
As soon as I responded to her unexpected words, Amasawa—who had been behind me—stepped in front and pressed a finger to my lips.
"You just caught me like a prince when I was about to fall down the stairs, didn't you? For a girl, something that fateful doesn't happen every day. Isn't it only natural I'd be curious?"
As a guy, I couldn't relate, but maybe that's how girls felt about these things.
"That was pure coincidence. Anyone else in my position would've done the same."
"Then the fact that it was you, Hikigaya-senpai, means it was fate~ ♪"
"..."
That almost sounded logical… or rather, she was forcing it to sound logical.
"I love romantic stuff like this, so hey—how about we pair up for the exam?"
She smiled and held out her hand.
Most guys would probably jump at the offer, but to me, it just felt suspicious.
She called it "romantic," but if she really was an A-rank student, she'd have plenty of other options. The fact that she hadn't already settled on a partner was odd.
"Sorry, but I've already got a first-year in mind for my partner. I appreciate the offer, but I can't decide right away."
"Aw, that's too bad~ Well, if you change your mind, let me know! We'll probably be talking a lot during the exams anyway, so wanna exchange contact info?"
Having a first-year as an information source would be useful, so I agreed.
"This is my first time exchanging contacts with an upperclassman~"
"Is that so?"
"Yep! Senpai, you're my first~ ♪"
"My first time exchanging contacts with an upperclassman, huh?"
She kept grinning while using phrasing that could easily be misinterpreted.
As I dealt with Amasawa, someone bumped into me from behind.
Given how crowded Keyaki Mall was, collisions weren't uncommon—but it'd still be polite to apologize.
"Sorry about that, Okabe. Wasn't paying attention."
"Hikigaya…! Tch. What, you got another girl with you?"
Okabe glanced at Amasawa beside me before clicking his tongue at me—for what felt like the hundredth time.
I was used to his attitude by now, but his lingering hostility was annoying.
"Hey, hey, it's not Hikigaya-senpai's fault. You were the one who bumped into him, right, Okabe-senpai?"
Just as I apologized and Okabe tried to leave, Amasawa cut in.
"The hell? Who's this first-year?"
"Glaring at me won't scare me~ How about you apologize to Hikigaya-senpai? You're the one who crashed into him, right?"
"Shut the hell up. First-years shouldn't be sticking their noses in."
Okabe scowled, but Amasawa ignored him and pulled up his OAA on her phone.
"Even elementary schoolers know the person at fault should apologize~ Can't even do that? Are you really an upperclassman? Oh, wait—maybe it's too hard for someone with an overall D-rank?"
"You little—!! You think you can mock me just 'cause you're a first-year?!"
Amasawa's excessive taunting made Okabe clench his fist and raise it at her.
"Cut it out, Okabe. Amasawa has nothing to do with this."
I grabbed his arm just before it could connect.
"Tch… Don't get cocky, Hikigaya. Just 'cause people call you Ryuuen's right-hand man doesn't mean you're hot shit. Your act's gonna crumble sooner or later."
He forcibly yanked his arm free and stomped off.
"...You okay, Amasawa?"
Regardless of whether she was a White Room student or not, a girl had nearly been hit by an older guy.
I thought she might be shaken, but instead, she was staring at me with an intense gaze.
"...You were so cool just now, Hikigaya-senpai."
"...You've got nerves of steel, huh? Most people would've been scared."
"I'm pretty popular in my class, y'know? I've seen guys like that before—selfish, stupid types."
It was true. Amasawa had a refined appearance and a gentle demeanor that would probably appeal to guys.
"Ah! You just checked out my chest, didn't you? Senpai, you perv~"
"That's slander."
I was looking at her, but I definitely didn't stare at her chest.
"Anyway, jokes aside—thanks for protecting me. I was this close to getting punched."
"Nah, I should be apologizing. Okabe's from my class, after all."
"Hmm~ Well, let's call it even then."
With that, she turned away.
"If I follow you any further, I'll just be a bother. I'll head back now."
"You were pretty persistent earlier, but now you're leaving just like that?"
"I don't want Hikigaya-senpai to hate me~ See you later, okay? Next time we meet, let's talk more~"
She winked at me, waved, and walked off.
"Amasawa Ichika, huh?"
My impression of her was… ambiguous.
I couldn't outright call her black, but I couldn't confidently say she was white either.
Either way, I'd have to stay somewhat cautious.
......
It had been a long day with all sorts of things happening, but I finally made it back to the dorm.
After a bet match, getting to know Ama-chan, and seeing Okabe step down...
Thinking it had been quite the journey, I reached my room door and noticed light seeping through the gap. Hiyori must already be inside.
Unlocking the door, I heard footsteps from inside. Maybe she was coming to greet me?
Holding onto a sliver of hope, I opened the door.
"W-Welcome home, Hachiman! Would you like dinner? A bath? Or... m-maybe... me?"
Hiyori stood there in casual clothes with an apron on, her face tinged with embarrassment.
"..."
"U-Um... me?"
"..."
"Ah, well..."
"..."
What had just happened was so far beyond my expectations that I was left stunned, completely at a loss.
"O-Oh. Uh, i-it suits you...?"
Regaining my frozen thoughts, I managed to give Hiyori my response.
Then, as her face turned bright red all at once—
"~~~~~~~~~!!!!"
Eyes glistening with embarrassment, Hiyori dashed away toward the living room...
=================================
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