-Monty's POV-
Ayanokoji and I arrived at the gymnasium. I'd expected there to be a sizable turn out, and there was.
Around a hundred or so students were present, nearly all of them being freshmen with the rest being upperclassmen.
I stood to the tail end of the crowd so I'd have an easier time leaving whenever I saw fit. While waiting, I read the pamphlet I had received upon my arrival to the gymnasium. It detailed information about various clubs and their activities.
From what I know, while this school's main focus wasn't on the physical aspect, they were still quite adept. The clubs here all seemed to operate at a higher level than most high schools, that, coupled with being a government funded institution, it came equipped with state of the art machinery that would make even those belonging to professionals seem inefficient.
"I don't see a karate club."
"Were you interested?" I asked, flipping through the pamphlet.
"No," He skipped to the other page aswell, "I was just making an observation."
"I see." I understand why karate was exempt from the school as opposed to clubs like Judo and other contact sports. It was far too brutal at times, additionally, it would be challenging to deal with the conflicts that may arise between students without the use of violence.
"Thank you all for waiting, first year students. We will now begin the club fair. A representative from each club will explain their function. Incase you've forgotten, my name is Tachibana, the student council secretary and the club fair's organizer. It's nice to meet you all."
Tachibana said, stepping back and allowing the other upperclassmen to line up on stage. It was quite a diverse crowd, ranging from burly athletes in gym clothes to soft spoken girls dressed in kimonos and the like.
A slender raven haired girl silently sidled up next to Ayanokoji, "I thought you weren't interested in joining any clubs, Horikita." He said flatly, "What made you change your mind?"
She narrowed her eyes a bit, "I didn't." Turning her attention to the stage with her arms crossed infront of her, not bothering to elaborate on why she came.
"Anyway, Ayanokoji-kun." Horikita started, changing from the interrogated to the interrogator in a beat, "Why not join the Judo club? That upperclassman seems kind. I'm sure he'll encourage you."
"What do you mean "kind"?! He looks like a gorilla! He'll kill me for sure!" The boy next to me cried. Yet somehow his tone and expression remained unchanged throughout the entire sentence. It's likely he can't express himself all that well.
"He'll probably talk passionately about how easy judo is."
"Cut it out! Even if I wanted to join, the athletic clubs all look really intimidating. I get the impression they don't accept beginners." He defended himself.
"Beginners should be welcomed. The more members a club has, the more money they receive from the school. That's how they get better training equipment." Horikita smoothly rebutted, "If it were me, I would gather many new members as a budgetary increase, and then simply bench them the rest of the time, like ghost members. They might be able to do the same, if they're skilled enough at manipulation that is."
I felt my brow lift slightly as I glanced over at her. What does she know about manipulating others?
"What an unpleasant world...You have a pretty strange way of thinking, Horikita." Ayanokoji finished, returning his attention to the stage as a girl in a red and white kimono took ahold of the mic.
"H-Hello everyone! Um, m-my name is...Manda Hagakure. Um, uh- I-I'm the leader of the Tea Ceremony club as well as a second year. I know it's not as exciting as any of the other clubs, b-but, uh... Um... I-I mean I'd appreciate it if you guys would join, thanks!"
Following her departure, a girl dressed in archery gear stepped up to the mic.
"Hello, my name is Hashigaki, the captain of the archery club. Many students may be under the impression that archery is an old fashioned, simple activity, but it is actually a fun and rewarding sport. We welcome beginners with open arms. If you're interested, please consider joining."
"Hey look, they seem to be welcoming newcomers. Why don't you try joining? In order to increase their budget, that is." Ayanokoji monotoned, making what sounded like a poor attempt at a joke directed to the girl next to him.
Horikita replied instantaneously, "I hate the idea of joining a club solely for that reason! Besides, if I were to join an athletic club I doubt I'd find it fun seeing as I probably wouldn't know anyone there." She finished, her eyes flitting over to the two of us, "Wouldn't you agree?"
I nodded in agreement. Though hypocritical, her rationale was sound. I, for one, most definitely, would not join a club for such a shallow reason, especially if it were to result in my boredom.
"Isn't that way of thinking a result of your twisted personality?" Ayanokoji voiced, to which Horikita wholeheartedly agreed.
"Yeah, you're absolutely right. But athletic clubs are a no-go."
I stared at the girl for a moment as she averted her gaze towards the front and suddenly froze, her face turning pale.
Ayanokoji seemed to notice aswell, "What's the matter?" He asked, his question being met with silence.
"Horikita, what's the matter?" She didn't even seem to notice him anymore and just stared ahead, her expression stiff.
Curious, I followed her line of sight and regarded the stage once more, seeing the seniors continue their club introductions. None of them seemed particularly interesting or harrowing enough to warrant such a strong reaction.
My eyes slowly glazed the crowd of upperclassmen atop the stage before landing on a person at the very back of the diminishing group, 'I see...So it's him.' I speculated.
Seeing as they shared an immiscible commonality, I doubt it would be anyone else but that person.
At some point, Ayanokoji had stopped asking questions and turned his attention to the stage aswell. The remaining clubs ran through their introductions one after the other before exiting the stage and gathering in an area where some tables had been previously set up. That must be where the new recruits were meant to sign up.
After all the clubs finished their introductions and cleared the stage, he stepped forward.
He was slender, around my height, with sleek black hair and sharp glasses that housed a pair of calculating violet orbs. Standing before the microphone, he calmly assessed the entire first-year student body with an expressionless face.
A few seconds of silence passed before the crowd of students started spitting words of encouragement mixed in with playful mockery, his way.
"Do your best!"
"Did you forget your note cards?"
"Ha, looks like he got cold feet!"
"Hahahaha!"
Yet, through it that, he still didn't speak a single word. Unfazed by their commentary, his gaze swept across the noisy crowd as their laughter reached a crescendo before suddenly—it stopped.
Another minute passed and a few students began murmuring as they watched the still expressionless individual look down at the crowd.
"What's with this guy?"
"Why's he staring at me like that?"
"I know right? He's not even reacting..." A few students mumbled, faint traces of trepidation creeping into their hushed voices. The once lax gymnasium soon took an amusing turn.
Horikita Manabu's unyielding gaze had caused a domino effect of anxiety induced apprehension to spread throughout the crowd of first-year students like a soundless ripple. It was as if an unseen force had rendered them all incapable of speech as they fell into a suffocating silence that continued for what I assumed felt like hours to them.
In reality, it was merely 30 seconds.
"I'm the student council President, Horikita Manabu." He began his speech with a measured tone of voice as his gaze slowly and carefully scanned the hushed audience, "The student council is looking to recruit potential candidates among the first-year students to replace the graduating third years. Although no special qualifications are required for candidacy, we humbly ask that those considering application not be involved in other club activities. We generally do not accept students involved elsewhere."
"Furthermore, we in the student council do not wish to appoint anyone who possesses a naive outlook. Not only would such a person not be elected, he or she would sully the sanctity of this school. It is the student council's duty to enforce and amend the rules, but the school expects more than that. We gladly welcome those of you who understand this."
Throughout the whole speech he didn't pause a single time and simply hopped off the stage immediately upon finishing. Not even a peep left the students as they all watched him leave the gymnasium.
Despite doing nothing to inhibit their chatter, Horikita Manabu's mere presence effortlessly drove that thought from their minds. It was interesting to witness.
I'd seen quite a few public leaders up close, but I rarely saw one take control of a room like he had.
Tachibana retook the stage, her voice echoing through the room, "Thank you all for coming. The club fair has ended. We will now open the reception area to anyone interested in signing up. Also, registration will be open until the end of April, so if any student wishes to join at a later date, we ask that you please bring the application form directly to the club you wish to join."
Her taking the initiative to speak seemed to have released the tension that held the students hostage and soon after they all dispersed. Who didn't take their leave either loitered around or went to the reception tables set up by the various club representatives.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Ayanokoji asked the girl next to him who had yet again left his query unanswered.
I studied the girl's face. Her relationship with the student council president must be a complicated one seeing as her face had contorted into a mishmash of conflicting emotions.
My gaze tore away from the black haired girl and shifted about the bustling interior. Turning on my heel, I began walking.
"You're leaving?"
"That's right."
I continued striding towards the exit before disappearing into the crowd. Taking off my glasses and untying my hair, I adjusted it so the right side hung loosely over my face; accentuating my features. If anyone in my class had seen me now, I doubt they would recognize me seeing as I looked like a typical nerd.
Scouting out the crowded gymnasium, I estimated that within 30 minutes the place would be cleared out. Which was more than enough time to get what I needed.
Clearing my throat, I hummed, adjusting my voice to emit a deeper and more flirtatious tonality; a far cry from my usual quiet and disinterested way of speaking.
Tugging my tie a little loose, I unfurled the first button and placed a hand in my pocket as my analytic gaze took an inviting turn.
There are multiple ways to initiate a conversation: possessing good looks, being socially apt, sharing common interests, and so on.
I was well aware of the effect my looks had on people, especially women. My social skills were far from lacking; which meant that I could integrate into any social circle with relative ease.
However, flaunting my looks would invite unwanted attention that would no doubt end up becoming a nuisance. Which was precisely the reason why I hid myself behind a plain demeanor and an almost bored tone of voice.
After a few seconds, I approached a female second year sat at one of the many reception desks. She had introduced herself earlier as Manda Hagakure from the Tea Ceremony club.
Seeing as they all avoided her stand in particular, no one was interested in joining. That made her the most suitable target to probe for information.
"H-Hello, if you're interested in Tea Ceremony, sign right here please." She smiled, clumsily outstretching a sheet of paper towards me.
Her hair was a curly dark brown that went well with her green eyes and freckled cheeks.
I snorted softly as I clasped her hand, "Thank you, but that's not why I'm here." Lowering it gently, my lips quirked upwards, "I'm here for you."
Her emerald eyes gradually widened like a sliding door as she tensed. An awkward smile settled on her features as she glanced around her vacant stand before pointing at herself in bewilderment.
I nodded.
My phrasing clearly left her somewhat flustered, "...What for?" The senpai muttered. A faint blush colored her cheeks as her eyes wandered about the table nervously.
From her reaction, it was obvious to me that she hadn't had much contact with people prior to this, especially those of the opposite sex. It'd be a dream come true, for her, if someone even managed to develop some sort of feelings.
Releasing her hands and placing my own atop the desk, I leaned in closer and stared into her eyes with a smile and a nonchalant head tilt, "Nothing much," I assured, "I just wanted to ask you a few questions."
"Questions?" Her freckled face took on a deeper shade of red as the girl took note of our lessened proximity, "I-I'll try to answer them the best I can."
"Great." Taking out my phone, I opened the device and showed her my balance, "So, when I went to the convenience store yesterday, I was messing around with my phone and saw this."
Scrolling up, I showed her the title bracketed in bold.
[Private points]
"I was wondering why they labelled it 'private points' instead of just 'points'. It makes it sound like there's another type of currency, which is why I came to ask a senior about it—" Her lips pursed slightly at that, "Since you should probably be aware of what it means already." I explained the reasoning behind my actions.
"Oh...I see." Her flustered expression slowly morphed into one of reluctance, "Um, sorry but, I can't help with that." She bowed her head.
I lifted a brow, "Do you not know?"
Her words were a jumbled mess, "Uh, no I—I just can't answer that..."
"Oh...What about this then? Since there are private points, are there any that are known to the public?" I rephrased my question, already expecting her response.
Her eyes widened in visible surprise. As she went to speak, "That's—" She stopped, promptly lowering and averting them.
"Ah, so there is one." I smiled, prompting the girl to wave me away nervously, "N-no, nothing like that!"
I tilted my head, "There isn't?" "Ah—yeah-no, I mean I-I can't answer that either!"
So, like the teachers, the upperclassmen are also prohibited from disclosing certain information.
It made sense.
Had they allowed information like that to be released so easily, then there wouldn't be much of a reason for the staff to not inform us outright which meant that they had other motives for not telling us.
It should be to test our attention to detail and suggestive wording if I'm not mistaken.
I slowly righted myself with a shallow huff. "Then, do we gain points from participating in club activities atleast?"
The girl's eyes widened, raising her hand in a placating manner, "I also can't answer that...s-sorry."
While tedious, her reluctance to answer my questions only further supported my theory of another currency existing.
"...I guess that's that then." I muttered, donning a half grin, "Anyhow, Manda-senpai, thanks and sorry for taking up your time. I'll be going now."
"H-Hold on!—" The girl's arm reached out, before instinctively retracting it the moment my pair of foreign eyes set upon her.
Standing in place, she fiddled with her thumbs in a continuous circular motion.
"You...actually listened to my speech?"
"Yeah," Quirking a brow, I tilted my head slightly, "Is that surprising?"
She nodded shyly, "Kind of...Only one person came to sign up so with that in mind, i-it wouldn't be out of the ordinary to assume no one was paying attention."
"I guess you would think that provided the context." I agreed with a twinge of solemn seeping into my tone as I sighed, "But despite most people our age not being all that into traditional stuff, I doubt they're actually against trying it. You just have to give them some time to come around. I mean, I'm not against joining later in the year."
"Ah, t-that's not really an option," She continued, her lips curving into a half smile, "If I don't get 5 new members by April's end, the club will be shut down and I don't want that... Tea ceremony is a longstanding Japanese Tradition, s-so...I would feel guilty if it were to die with me."
Saying that, she began shifting uncomfortably whilst fiddling with her thumbs.
"I get where you're coming from..." Turning, I scanned the crowd briefly before glancing back to her then towards the stack of papers by her desk, "Do you mind if I took a few of these?"
Looking down at her stack of unwritten belongings, she pushed them forward cautiously, "What are you going to do with them?"
Picking up quart a stack, I turned with a wave, "You'll see."
A few minutes later, I returned to the reception desk without a single paper in tow.
Manda stared at me-wide eyed. Her reaction was to be expected, afterall, in just under 15 minutes I'd managed to give out 10 club admission forms without any difficulties whatsoever.
I had no qualms interacting with individuals when it served me, so, I wasn't dissatisfied in the least.
Springing to her feet, she bowed before me deeply as her voice came out, "Thank you.... I truly can't thank you enough! Do you mind telling me your name-"
"Monty." I cut her off, slowly lifting her out of her bow with a soft smile, "That's my name. Also, there's really no need to thank me, I was simply returning the favor."
Manda stared at me, her emerald eyes whirring with a flurry emotions as tears welled up in the corner of her eyes, "I see... I'm not sure how I helped, b-but I'd still like to thank you for helping me if I can."
"Mm, sure. I'll contact you if I need anything." I waved. "I'll be on my way now, senpai." Turning my back, I walked away while nonchalantly counting in my head.
Three...two....one.
"Wait!" Looking over my shoulder, I stared at her with a quizzical facade.
She had her phone outstretched while scratching her cheek with a slightly lowered head, "Lets exchange contacts..." Her voice trailed off cutely, "I-It'll make it easier to keep in touch with me since I don't know your class."
"Ah, If I let this chance slip, I might not get another one" - Is probably what she's thinking.
I let out a soft chuckle and accepted the offer, "Sure. Let's do that." I watched as her face slowly took on an even deeper shade of red.
After getting Manda's contact info I immediately left the gymnasium and headed towards the dormitories. Along the way, I stopped at the bathroom and fixed my clothes. Now that I'd gotten everything I wanted, I saw no need to keep up the facade any longer than necessary.
-???'s POV-
I've always wondered how and for why most students even bother to put up with physically strenuous tasks like basketball and soccer.
They tend to excuse such acts as "enjoying their youth" but really they're just wasting their time.
Romance, studying, joining clubs, hanging out with friends; all of those, for better or for worse, are the most desirable nectar of a teenager's life—apparently.
Of course, as it tends to do in all things, society sided with the majority. But majority opinions aren't necessarily correct—just more popular.
People refer to majority opinion rather than coming up with their own because it's easier that way.
But I find that train of thought to be nonsensical. How to enjoy one's youth was ultimately subjective to the opinion of that specific individual.
They doesn't necessarily need to be involved in school activities or any other school related acts to enjoy their teenage years.
I mean, they could sit down and read a book or something to pass the time. But why have fun reading books when society can do you one better?
Whoever thought teenagers liked school anyway?
Standing by the elevator, my eyes lazily shifted around the crowded room.
The gathering here had one thing in common: everyone was waiting for the elevator. No one seemed to consider using the vacant staircase, even though it was a perfectly functional alternative.
Of course, I was no different. I honestly found it to be a waste of my precious time and energy.
Think about it, why use stairs when there's a perfectly working elevator around?
In this room, the only people who seemed to share my sentiment were myself and a petit girl with a black cane.
...
I definitely did not think she agreed with me because of her physical disability. That would be lazy even for me.
She stood next to me, smiling for whatever reason as her lavender hair swayed gently from side to side. Like myself, she didn't seem at all bothered by the prospect of waiting for the elevator to be freed up.
"Do you need something?" She asked, her soft, silky voice caressing my ear as she tilted her head upwards to meet my emerald gaze, "Afterall, you have been staring at me for quite some time now."
My gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before sighing softly. It would be insensitive to say that I singled her out because of her disability. So, regrettably, I now had to come up with an appropriate response.
"It's not that I need anything, I was just wondering why you seem so...content standing here." Glancing back to the crowded interior, I continued in my usual dry voice, "Most people would be tapping their feet, checking their watches or grumbling about how slow it is. But you seem oddly at peace—"
Pausing, I quickly averted my eyes, "Not that it's any of my business."
"Fufufu, that is quite true." She chuckled cutely, resuming her observation of the room.
I didn't know if I should feel relieved she didn't pursue the conversation or offended at the possible double meaning behind her words. But, quite honestly, I didn't really care so long as I didn't have to expend any sort of effort maintaining the conversation.
Actually, maybe I should move up in the crowd to minimize that prospect.
As I was about to step forward, the girl next to me spoke.
"The S-System. Don't you find it strange?"
I halted mid-step, her words pulling me back like a tether. The S-System, huh? My mind briefly sifted through the possibilities, though I didn't feel any particular urgency to find an answer.
I turned to her, raising an eyebrow lazily. "Strange? Not particularly..." My voice was calm, indifferent even. "Unless you're referring to the monthly point deposit."
Her lavender eyes sparkled with amusement. "Ah, so, you do find it strange."
Crap.
I sighed lightly, shoving my hands into my pockets. "You're the one who called it strange first. I'm just agreeing, in my own way." I glanced towards the crowded elevator again. "We're basically getting free money every month just for coming to school. So what's not to think about?"
She hummed with a thoughtful expression whilst lightly tapping her black cane against the tiled lobby floor, "Fufu..." She chuckled, "I can't say I disagree. It is a curious development." Her head inclined slightly, an almost amused grin stretching across her cute face, "I dare say we'll be housing a den of millionaire's before long."
I shrugged. "Maybe. But it doesn't seem all that feasible."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because distributing 100k a month to every student is just not possible. By the end of one year every single student in the school would have or have spent around 10 million points. In the real world the presence of that many millionaires would probably cause inflation."
"And if that happens, they'll either stop funding us or raise item prices to control cash flow."
"Fufu, Yes. That is a possibility out in the real world." She spoke softly.
Her violet eyes shifted to meet mine with a smooth, languid motion, "But this isn't the real world now is it?" She questioned sarcastically.
"That's right." My eyes fluttered to a close before gradually reopening, 'It's an imitation.'
Alot of people aren't perceptive enough to see that something isn't right about the amount of points we were given. They wouldn't even think it to be so much as a possibility.
There's no way in hell that the government would freely give away so much money to students monthly without there being some sort of catch.
I mean think about it. This is the japanese government we're talking about. The same people who've lead the country through multiple social, financial and economic crises over the years.
That same government handing a monthly allowance of 100,000 yen freely to 480 highschool students, is more than a little suspicious.
I've heard that they have rather unorthodox teaching methods, so it wouldn't come as a surprise if they demanded some sort of extreme physical or mental gymnastics in return for their seemingly untethered generosity.
In simpler terms, If we don't prove that we're worth the money, then we'd have no choice but to kiss our oversaturated allowance goodbye.
Think of it like a part-time job. If you do well the first month, you get a chance to go full time, if you don't then they drop you.
Glancing around, I took a short breath as I subconsciously lowered my eyes to meet those of the girl next to me.
"But being out there and in here isn't all that different to be honest. The government won't hand out that much money to anyone without expecting something in return. This isn't charity." I added, holding back a sigh, "So, my belief is...this is some sort of test."
Her smile widened, an enigmatic expression settling on her face. "That is a plausible assumtion." She finished with that rhetoric as her shifted gaze towards the open door.
Her eyes widened slightly before squinting in amusement.
I followed her line of sight to see a male with brown hair and brown eyes who silently surveyed the crowd while falling in line. His face was blank, devoid of any semblance of emotions. To me, he looked more like a moving corpse than an actual person.
Beyond that, nothing about him struck me as particularly remarkable. Still, the girl beside me seemed captivated. Her gaze was still fixed on his position with the unbreakable concentration of a starved vixen.
I couldn't understand what fascinated her so much.
...
...
Wait- there's no way right?
Could this be love at first sight? I thought that was a myth!
Her smile slowly transposed into a rather cute smug as she turned to walk away, "The competition between classes will be quite interesting indeed."
Competition between classes? What's she talking about?
"Hey, what do you mean by..." My words died on my tongue as I watched the girl casually limp her way towards the now free elevator with a smile.
"Fufufu...It was a pleasure meeting you." She said moments before disappearing into the crowd.
Slowly, I felt my hand raise to pinch my taupe bangs. I squinted.
The government won't freely give us money. That much is obvious. Not only because they probably can't, but because they're trying to weed us out.
Put it this way: the ones deemed valuable in their eyes get the benefits. Simple, right? Perform better, get more points. Perform worse, get less.
But what does that actually mean? Could the entire class be punished just because of one screw-up? Or maybe the reverse—rewarded for a standout?
I sighed, leaning slightly against the elevator wall as the doors closed. No, it's probably the class as a whole. The points we earn are tied to our value, not just as individuals but as a collective. After all, why would they care about one student when they can train forty?
But then again… if forty is good, why not take all 160? Isn't more always better? I mean, it is an elite school.
I frowned, shaking my head. No, that's impossible. Not everyone can meet their standards. Which means—
UGH. This is way too much thinking for one day. Why do I even care about this?
My mind drifted back to sensei's words: 'You're given what you're worth.'
I let out a dry chuckle. Right. What I'm worth. What we're worth. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what I want. The people running this show only care about results.
...And if I don't pull my weight?
My sister's face flashed in my mind, a mix of disappointment and mild homicidal intent exuding off her body. I immediately shuddered at the thought. She'd kill me if she knew I threw away a golden ticket to success just because I wanted to conserve energy.
Seriously, she will.
So, reluctantly, my brain began working again. If the top class really does get all the rewards, then staying at the bottom isn't an option.
But that would mean the school's advertisment of 100% job and college entry was false....
Partially.
The metal walls rattled from the increased weight, before lifting off.
It was false in the sense that we mistakenly believed that all classes get the same benefits after graduation. However, it was true that whoever, or rather, which class performed best would receive it.
How was that determined? Through Class competition.
My lips parted, a prolonged yawn squeezing out as I covered my mouth.
If I'm right, then that girl from earlier's gonna be a huge obstacle. From the way she sounded, I can say with 80% certainty that she probably figured it out before our interaction.
...
But why did she tip me off?
Did she ask me because I was the only one within talking distance or was it because she wanted to hear someone else's perspective?
Then again, she probably didn't think I could come up with a plausible answer and was making fun of me.
I stiffened. I mean, she was pretty smug and laughing alot...
The elevator dinged, breaking my train of thought and I blinked while looking around. When did I even get in here?
I glanced down, only to realize a bit too late that a girl's chest was pressed against me. Pink. Ugh—forget it. Eyes up. Don't be ensnared!
Trying to recover, I took in the rest of the packed elevator. The only familiar face was the purple haired menace, Kanzaki Ryuuji.
Before you misunderstand, he isn't a bad guy—he just looks like a brooding anti-hero in a bad school drama. But hey, maybe that's working for him.
...
What?
First impressions go a long way okay?
Soon, we reached our floor, the intersection between the male and female dorms, and got off.
"Kanzaki!" I said loud enough to get his attention as I took a few steps to catch up.
Man, all this activity's got me feeling pretty tiring.
"Hm?" Turning around, he regarded me with a slightly puzzled expression.
While Kanzaki doesn't look like the most friendly person, he's surprisingly close enough with the class to get them to listen to what he says even though it's only the second day.
I stared at him for a solid minute. And then, it dawned on me.
I'm gonna have aLOT of work to do aren't I? Afterall, my future's on the line here.
...
Sigh, this is going to take so much effort... but then again, ignoring it might—scratch that, it will come back to haunt me so I have no choice but to bite the bullet.
Kanzaki regarded me with slightly narrowed eyes.
Oh right, I forgot about him. He seems to be getting impatient.
Wait, can't I just leave?
"Is there something that you wanted to discuss?"
Ugh. I guess not.
"Nothing urgent. Just thought I'd let you know you look more approachable than usual today."
His eyes narrowed even further, confused, "Thanks, I guess?" Waiting for a while longer, he turned a half-step, "If there's nothing else, I'll go."
As he said that, I watched him slowly make his way towards his room.
Great, now I don't have to bother myself with any work.
While the class may end up suffering a little from my decision to keep silent, how bad can it possibly be? I mean, it's not like they'll end up at the bottom of the rung or anything...
I was about to head to my room aswell but my body had other plans.
"Wait." He stopped and I sighed. There goes my last chance to escape. "Actually, there is something I'd like to speak about."