Chapter 7 - Chapter 6 - Controlling Perceptions

"You don't have to lie to control people. You just have to show them what they expect to see."

--𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙--

The weekends were quite productive for Kiyotaka.

He spent most of his Saturday exploring the campus and its surrounding areas, following a curated list of spot recommendations from the student forums. 

Well... those best enjoyed alone, anyway. There was no point visiting the lover's garden near the southern court, for example. Without a lover, he'd just stick out like sore thumb.

Some might even look at him in pity. He didn't want that.

Once he had gone through the spots, he let his feet dictate his destination.

Eventually, they took him to the far end of campus, near the end of the manicured landscapes.

There were no signs or fences, but the patchy grass, stray hoses, and an overturned wheelbarrow nearby made it clear it was a maintenance area. If not that, probably a back route used by staff or groundskeepers.

He knew he probably wasn't supposed to be walking there, but his curiosity got the better of him. So he continued walking.

Then, he saw it: a wooden bench facing a narrow waterway that split the campus from the agricultural testing fields ahead. 

The forums said nothing of this spot. Of course, that was because there was nothing too notable about this one.

And also... most students wouldn't bother walking this far. Kiyotaka was one of the few weird ones who would.

Even so, he thought it made for a good spot.

So, he sat for a while. Didn't do much of anything, though.

He simply enjoyed the ambiance. 

Although the spot had no notable sights, it was silent, peaceful. No students chattering, no foot traffic, no mall music. He'd probably hear the sound of heavy equipment, though. If he came during school days, that was.

So he decided he'd only come here during the weekends. If he had the time.

And that he wouldn't tell anyone about this place.

The peace would be lost if other people— workers aside —knew about it.

Not that most students would bother walking this far, anyway. The trek alone would be too much for them. On top of that, there were flashier spots for them to enjoy.

Still, it was better to be sure.

Eventually, he stood, brushing non-existent dirt from his slacks. Then, he made his way back to the main road and headed to Keyaki Mall.

Kiyotaka went to the gym on the second floor. A staff member greeted him and gave a short orientation once he inquired about membership.

After the conversation, he paid for the membership, and left with a card tucked into his pocket.

Another contrast with his future self, who did not bother going to the gym until late in his second year. Although, this time around, Kiyotaka was more understanding of his future self's decision. 

Without the memories, there was no doubt to him that he would approach high school almost the same as his future self. That meant that he would be largely indifferent about the school and class competitions as a whole.

Thus, keeping himself in tip-top shape wasn't necessary.

But this time, it was.

Because he wanted to live this life differently.

After leaving the gym, Kiyotaka wandered into a furniture store and began picking out upgrades for his dorm. Well, as much upgrades as his modest dorm room could afford...

He wasn't that particular about interior design, but he anticipated that in the months to come, his dorm room would be used for some meetings. 

Even if it wouldn't, his back would surely appreciate a better chair. The couches— well, he had a few ideas for how they might come in handy.

Once he finished coordinating the items' delivery, he resumed his shopping.

From the supermarket, he bought a few boxes of frozen yogurt and ice cream, several boxes of teabags, biscuits, and— after some thinking —cooking tools, produce, aromatics, rice, sauces, seasonings, pasta, and cuts of pork, chicken, and beef.

He hadn't planned on buying those. But the thought had been lingering since last week.

He remembered that his future self had become a good cook later on. So, last Sunday, he tried making katsudon.

But not because he was craving it. Kiyotaka was just hoping the skill came bundled with the memories.

There was some good news.

His memories didn't betray him. He knew how to make katsudon look like katsudon.

But the good news ended there.

Because it tasted like damp cardboard. Not literally. It was just bland.

Thus, a depressing realization: he was terrible.

Kiyotaka theorized that this was due to him not having the culinary instincts his future self had developed.

He both liked and disliked that fact. 

And so, he resolved to surpass his future self in cooking before his second year. 

That evening, he spent an hour focused on fundamentals of cooking: slicing angles, timing, flavor layering. And a few more hours actually cooking.

The next day, he managed to make katsudon that was more or less on par with his future self's version. It finally tasted like katsudon.

It satisfied him enough that he wanted to finally hit the gym.

Good food was a weird trigger, but any deviation from routine— as long as it felt right —was welcome.

Later that night, he texted Shiina Hiyori about the first four Sayers books. He'd finished the third and fourth after dinner, and she responded fast— just as he expected.

Their conversation went on until 11 PM, half an hour past his usual bedtime.

Not that he minded. Ending the weekends talking to a beautiful girl was hardly something to complain about.

--𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙--

"Ha ha ha ha! God, you're so dumb. You're hilarious, man!"

During math class on Monday, Ike was chatting loudly with Yamauchi. As usual.

Once they realized the teachers wouldn't reprimand them, they got more carefree with each passing day. Too carefree, if you asked Kiyotaka.

Others were guilty of this as well, but the two were the biggest offenders. Their conversations were usually either inane or disgusting. No wonder they, along with Sudō, had been christened the Idiot Trio.

"Every day, they seem to get louder," Kiyotaka muttered as he tore a few strips of paper from his notebook.

"What are you doing, Ayanokōji-kun?" Horikita asked, having noticed the tearing sounds.

He ignored the question for now, rolling the strips into a tight ball. Then, he pulled an eraser from his case, carved off a few chunks, and stuffed them inside the paper casing to give it some weight.

Only once it was ready did he answer.

"Something funny."

With a flick of his wrist, he launched the makeshift projectile across the room. It arced cleanly and smacked Ike on the temple.

"OW—HEY! Who the hell threw that?!"

He sprang up, clutching his head and scanning the room like a provoked dog. The teacher, who'd been scribbling on the board, finally turned.

"Ike! Sit down and be quiet."

That reaction surprised even Kiyotaka. In the original timeline, teachers mostly tuned out the students.

Then again, maybe this one just didn't like Ike and saw the chance to single him out. That made sense too.

"How childish," Horikita murmured.

"It shut him up, didn't it?"

She couldn't argue with that.

Though the silence didn't last. Halfway through class, Sudō barged in late and flopped into his chair with a loud yawn. Ike immediately leaned over to greet him and invite him to lunch.

Then came the inevitable topic switch: something about Karuizawa and Hirata's relationship.

Kiyotaka tuned them out.

Instead, he turned to Horikita. 

"Hey, Horikita. Are you a good cook?" 

She blinked. "I am. But why does that matter to you?"

"I was thinking of cooking my own meals. It'd probably be cheaper for me than continuing to buy lunch from the cafeteria," he replied.

With the slight changes in his early interactions with Horikita, he deduced this was a conversation that she was likely to actually entertain.

"That would be a good idea. Cooking your own meals is cost-efficient," she replied, nodding.

"Yeah, but I never cooked before," he 'confessed.' "So if it's possible, I'd like for you to teach me."

Horikita stared at him for a while. The request wasn't what she expected it to be.

"You could just borrow culinary books in the library. I saw a few help books for beginners," she replied. 

That was surprisingly helpful of her.

"I can, but books can't tell me what I'm doing wrong," he argued.

In the original timeline, he actually learned cooking from Horikita herself. And she was quick to tell his future self what he was doing wrong. A book couldn't replicate that type of guidance.

For normal people, anyway. Kiyotaka had his own reasons for asking Horikita even if he didn't really need help.

Horikita folded her arms. "Fair. Still... this is unexpected. You don't strike me as someone who wants to cook."

"Well, cooking is a basic life skill. I have to learn it eventually," Kiyotaka replied. 

"You have a point," she conceded, closing her eyes. "Very well. I'll help you, but just once. After that, you're on your own."

"And don't think I'm doing this out of kindness," she added. "You'll owe me."

Horikita was clearly preempting a misunderstanding. Not that Kiyotaka would ever think this version of her was capable of kindness. Thanks future Kiyotaka.

"That's fine by me," he said. "Can we have it after class? I'd like to make a homecooked bento tomorrow."

She raised an eyebrow, just a little. "How eager."

"I've just had enough of the convenience store ones. So, later?"

Horikita sighed. "If you're that insistent, then sure."

"Thanks."

With that, Kiyotaka turned his attention back to the teacher. 

Though, he was just feigning paying attention. He'd mastered this topic before most kids learned multiplication.

Instead, he was reflecting on his conversation with Horikita.

If his future self asked her for any favor at this moment, Kiyotaka had no doubt she would turn him down. Unless when she thought she'd get to watch him embarrass himself... probably. The girl was merciless.

But this time around, Horikita had a more positive impression on him. Well, not completely, because he helped Kushida in her plot to befriend her. 

Still, this Horikita had already placed him in the 'not-so-useless' category. 

That made her more amiable to reasonable requests.

... What a difficult person.

--𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙--

During the third period, which was usually History class with Chabashira, the dark-haired teacher entered the room with a stack of papers, her gaze cold.

"Quiet down a little, please. Today's lesson will be a bit serious," she said.

"What do you mean, Sae-chan-sensei?" Ike blurted.

"It's the end of the month, so we're going to have a short test. Please pass these to the back." 

She handed out the papers to the students in the front row. Eventually, the single-sheet test reached Kiyotaka's desk. 

Like in the original timeline, it contained questions in the five main subjects. With only a few questions per subject, it really was short.

"Huh? I wasn't listening, though. This is so unfair!"

"Don't say that," Chabashira replied coolly. "This test is for future reference. It won't be reflected in your report cards. There is no risk involved, so don't worry. Of course, cheating is prohibited."

Kiyotaka tuned out the noise, already knowing the pointless chatter that followed. 

Instead, he considered his options. Whether to perform as he did in the original timeline, or improve his score this time around.

"Well, since Chabashira already suspected me early on, there's no real point in trying to keep the illusion," he thought.

Kiyotaka quickly glanced at Horikita, who already began answering. It didn't take her long to go from question to question. As expected.

Then, his eyes turned back to his own paper.

He studied the questions closely.

"Now... which of these make the most sense to answer incorrectly?"

... Obviously, the hardest ones. 

Kiyotaka sighed, mind drifting back to his entrance exam.

He answered the hardest questions right and flubbed some of the easy ones. On top of that, he scored exactly 50 in all subjects.

Naturally, it'd get the attention of the school's administration. He knew that, because they'd obviously go over the answers of all applicants.

What he didn't know, however, was that people other than the school administration could get access to his paper. And that they'd pay attention to his supposedly unremarkable paper.

Well, they probably wouldn't have, if they hadn't had a vested interest in Class 1-D.

That was a miscalculation that he couldn't fault his future self for. He had no background about the school beyond what his former butler, Matsuo, told him.

Well, not like that mattered this time around.

Finally pushing the thought aside, Kiyotaka began answering the test.

--𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙--

During lunch break, Hirata told Kiyotaka and the others that he would be having lunch with just Karuizawa. He looked quite apologetic and asked for everyone's understanding.

Since it was Hirata, nobody had a problem. Everyone told him and Karuizawa to enjoy their first lunch as a couple.

With that, Kiyotaka decided to have lunch with Ike, Yamauchi, Sudō, and the other guys. For a change.

Well... not exactly.

Because in the original timeline, his future self also had lunch with them on this very day.

The reminder made him heave an uncharacteristic sigh.

Of course, there was the other option: having lunch with the girls. A much better option, if he were being honest. But he figured there was a point on developing his 'friendship' with the boys.

Things would be complicated if they began viewing him the same way they did Hirata. Well... not really. But this was the easier option.

As for lunch? 

It went just as expected. 

In between bites were conversations about video games, girls, manga, Kushida, Keyaki Mall, Kushida, complaints about the surprise test... and Kushida once again.

There were some changes, however. Mainly due to the fact that in this timeline, it was the first time Kiyotaka had lunch with the other boys in class.

Guys like Miyamoto and Hondō seem to distrust him a little due to his closeness with Hirata.

But surprisingly, Yamauchi of all people came to his defense. He told the others that he was 'cool' and not like the 'bastard' Hirata.

Kiyotaka almost felt bad for the things he thought about Yamauchi before. Almost.

As they approached the vending machine in the cafeteria's halls, Ike approached him.

"If you just come right out and tell me straight, I'll forgive you, okay?" he said, placing a hand on Kiyotaka's shoulder.

"Tell you what straight?" he asked, arching a brow. 

Ike had a serious look on his face. 

"We're friends, right? Comrades that stick together through thick and thin?"

"We are," he replied. 

He braced for the usual question about Horikita. Though a small part of him wondered if Ike suspected him of throwing the paper ball earlier.

"So then, naturally... you would tell us if you got yourself a girlfriend, right?" Ike asked.

Right... I shouldn't have expected him to notice, Kiyotaka thought.

If anything, it seemed like Ike forgot all about it.

"What's this about?" Kiyotaka asked.

Ike then put an arm around his shoulder.

"Come on, no need to beat around the bush! You're going out with Horikita, aren't you? I'm not gonna forgive you if you get ahead of us!"

"Why would you even think of that?"

Like in the original timeline, both Yamauchi and Sudō eyed Kiyotaka in suspicion. And, like in that timeline, Kiyotaka paid them no mind.

"I noticed you guys talking all sneaky-like during class today. What was that about? I guess it's not a story for us, huh? Were you talking about dates or making plans for dates, huh?!" Ike pointed an accusatory finger at him.

Then, he dramatically clenched his fists. 

"Ahhhh!! I could kill you, I'm so jealous!"

"Oh, earlier?" Kiyotaka said, leaning against the wall. "I asked her to teach me how to cook."

Ike's eyes widened. "You... you magnificent bastard! Did she agree?"

Kiyotaka nodded.

"You..." Ike looked at him dramatically.

Then, he suddenly grabbed his shoulders. "I'll forgive you if you teach me your ways..."

"I don't think anything I teach you would work on Kushida, Ike," Kiyotaka said, brushing the boy's hands off.

Ike sighed dramatically. "Haaaah... I guess you're right. I mean, it might work on the other girls... but I don't want them! I only want Kushida-chan."

Kiyotaka found himself slightly surprised at how Ike didn't seem to mind him having plans with Horikita. After all, he was the type of guy to be jealous of people who 'got ahead' of him.

But maybe blunt honesty had a calming effect on guys like him.

"Kushida-chan is the best!" Yamauchi, of course, sprang to life the moment Kushida's name came up. "Ahh!!! To go out with Kushida-chan...or rather, do naughty stuff with her!"

"You moron! Like hell you can date Kushida-chan! And you're forbidden from fantasizing about her, too!" Ike cried.

"Come on, you think you can date her, Ike? Besides, I've dreamt of sleeping next to Kushida-chan!"

Kiyotaka took the ensuing argument as his sign to exit the conversation.

Instead, he approached Sotomura— who was nearby —and began talking to the bespectacled boy about the things about his laptop that he 'needed help' with.

It was so much better than pretending to think like Yamauchi and Ike.

And, on top of that, he was spared from having to treat Yamauchi to a cocoa drink like in the original timeline.

Poor Hondō got roped into treating him instead.

So much better.

--𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙--

In the middle of afternoon classes, Kiyotaka's phone vibrated.

It was a text message from Ike.

Hey, we're going to go hang out with Kushida-chan and some other people after class. You want to come?

His future self eagerly accepted the invitation as it was the first time friends invited him to hang out after school. Although, even if someone had invited him days prior, Kiyotaka had no doubts his future self would have still accepted.

After all, both his future and current selves wanted to enjoy their youths.

Unfortunately, he would have to decline this time around.

I can't today. I got things to do, he typed out the reply.

Ike immediately replied.

[Ike] You bastard! You're gonna do stuff with Horikita later, aren't you? That's way too quick!! I'm so jealous!

Kiyotaka thought about not replying anymore, but ultimately thought it'd be rude not to.

[Kiyotaka] I don't think I'll do 'stuff' with her, Ike. She'll probably just bark orders on how I should cook.

[Ike] Something will definitely happen! That's how it usually goes in the videos I watch!! You better tell me everything... or I won't forgive you!

[Kiyotaka] What videos? Porn? You should know those things rarely happen in real life. Nothing will happen. Horikita is not that type of girl.

Upon sending, he slid his phone back into his pocket.

"You should pay more attention in class, Ayanokōji-kun," Horikita said, glancing at him from her seat.

"My bad. I was just telling Ike I can't meet with them later," Kiyotaka replied.

"Couldn't that wait until classes are over?" she asked.

"It's more efficient to reply now. Besides, it's not like my notes are empty."

He pushed his notebook slightly toward her. Horikita glanced down at the page and saw the neat, detailed notes that he had written.

"Huh... that's quite unexpected," she remarked.

"Students are expected to jot down notes," he said flatly.

Horikita tapped her pencil against her desk. "That's not what I mean. I'm talking about how organized your notes look."

"Wow... you really do expect the worst from me, don't you?"

She glanced at him briefly, then sighed. "At first, yes. But you're showing yourself to not be as dumb as I first thought."

In Horikita language, that was as good as a compliment as he could get.

"Ah—by the way. I haven't asked this yet... but you're fine with coming over to my dorm later, right?" Kiyotaka asked.

"Naturally. Where else would I even teach you how to cook?"

"Uh... the home economics room? They got everything from stoves to cutlery there," Kiyotaka replied.

"There will be culinary club members there after classes. I won't like it there," she reasoned.

"Right... right. Sorry for the dumb question."

Kiyotaka made a note to just count his blessings for Horikita having even less common sense than he did—and leave it at that.

"Have you bought ingredients?" Horikita asked suddenly.

"Yeah. I bought a lot over the weekends. I'm serious about wanting to learn," he replied.

"So... you've been planning to ask me for a few days now," she said, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Of course she'd draw that conclusion. Despite her lack of common sense, she was extremely sharp.

Not that it was a problem.

"Not exactly," he said. "I was planning to start on my own. But earlier I figured there was no harm in asking you for help."

"I see."

She gave a single nod, then turned her attention back to the board.

Kiyotaka knew she was still suspecting something, but probably didn't think it was worth pressing further.

Most likely because she thought she stood to gain more by having him owe her a favor.

--𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙--

As the end-of-school bell rang, Horikita immediately left... as usual. Although, she was a tad bit quicker this time around.

Perhaps she had enough sense to realize the implications of leaving the room by Kiyotaka's side.

Kiyotaka, meanwhile, took some time before exiting himself. He spent a few moments talking with Hirata. 

Hirata apologized for not being able to join them for lunch, which wasn't really needed. Kiyotaka assured him that he understood, and joked about Hirata actually looking forward to 'high school romance.'

Naturally, Hirata got a bit flustered. 

But only for a while.

Once the conversation ended, he made his way out and found Horikita waiting nearby, arms crossed.

"You took too long," she said flatly. "I was about to leave."

"My bad. I was talking with Hirata," Kiyotaka replied.

She didn't respond. Just turned on her heel and began walking toward the dorms.

Kiyotaka looked at her retreating figure for a while before he followed, matching her pace after a few steps.

From behind, a certain beige-haired girl tilted her head ever so slightly.

"...They're leaving together?" Kushida Kikyō murmured.

The sight struck her as odd.

She had assumed Kiyotaka would be on thin ice, just like her. After all, their little scheme to help her befriend Horikita had collapsed almost immediately. Worse, Horikita knew the two of them had conspired.

And yet, there he was. Walking beside her like nothing had happened.

If anything... they seemed even closer now.

"Hey, Kushida-san!"

At the sound of her name, Kushida's puzzled expression vanished, replaced in an instant by her polished, cheerful smile.

"Matsushita-san! I didn't take too long, did I?" She turned to the girl with a bright grin. "I was just texting someone from 1-B."

"1-B? You sure do have a lot of friends even in other classes," Matsushita remarked with a laugh. "I wish I could make friends as easily as you."

"I could introduce you to my friends there," Kushida offered.

Matsushita clapped her hands once. "Oh, that would be great! Thanks, Kushida-san!"

She giggled. "Anything for a friend!"

Whatever thoughts she had about Kiyotaka and Horikita... she pushed to the back of her mind—for now.

--𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙--

Upon reaching the dorm's elevator, Kiyotaka turned to Horikita.

"Hey, did you notice Kushida staring at us earlier?"

There were no eyes nearby, so he thought it'd be safe to ask.

"Yes."

"And you didn't care?"

Horikita's arms were folded across her chest, her voice flat. "Why should I?"

At that moment, the elevator gave a mechanical chime. The doors slid open, and the two of them stepped inside.

"So you don't," Kiyotaka said, pressing the button for the fourth floor. "I wish you'd thought the same during the first day of school."

Their conversation after the bus ride was... embarrassing, to say the least.

More on his part, though. Because this Horikita wouldn't be embarrassed at that conversation. She wore her anti-social habits with pride.

The dark-haired girl sent him a look. "Are you making fun of me?"

Kiyotaka raised both hands, palms out. "Not at all. I'm just saying we could've started on a better foot if we didn't have that conversation. That's all."

"Perhaps."

Silence settled in, broken only by the faint hum of the elevator climbing.

"So," Kiyotaka said eventually, "why didn't you care about Kushida doing the same thing I did?"

"It's clear what's in her mind, so there's no point in asking," she answered.

"So you can't tell with me, huh?"

There was a brief pause.

Kiyotaka felt slightly victorious at her indirect admittance.

But Horikita crushed the feeling immediately.

"Correct. I couldn't tell if you were a pervert or just pathetic. I had to confirm."

Kiyotaka blinked. "That was unnecessary..."

"It was necessary," she said plainly. "I don't want you getting any strange ideas."

"You guessed wrong, though. I am neither."

Horikita didn't hesitate to push back. "The verdict's still out on the pervert part."

"I'm not."

Although, Kiyotaka didn't quite believe his own words. His future self... left quite an imprint in his mind.

Then, a soft ping echoed through the elevator. They reached the fourth floor. 

The doors slid open and Horikita stepped out first without so much as a glance behind her.

Luckily, no one else was waiting in the hallway.

Kiyotaka followed at an unhurried pace. Approaching his dorm room, he pulled out his key card and pressed it against the scanner.

A faint click confirmed the unlock. He pushed the door open, holding it just long enough to let Horikita step inside ahead of him.

"Did you spend all your money on furniture?" she asked, her eyes already scanning the room— specifically, the couches. They looked rather cozy.

Then, the other furniture in his room. There were quite a few, but they didn't clog the space.

She thought they looked expensive enough to be worth at least 40,000 points.

"I didn't," Kiyotaka replied, dropping his bag on the desk. "The furniture set is a discounted package. They only cost 20,000 all in all." 

"I still have a lot of points left," he added.

Her gaze shifted. "There's a laptop, though. That should be expensive."

Kiyotaka shook his head. "It's not. I bought a second-hand. They are way cheaper. This one only cost me 30,000 points."

Horikita nodded, though in her head, she was already tallying up his expenses. That was 50 thousand just on the laptop and the furniture. Already half of his 100,000 point allowance.

She concluded one thing: Kiyotaka was not living frugally.

Still, she held her tongue. Perhaps it was because of that realization that the boy decided he should learn how to cook.

"This way," Kiyotaka said, gesturing toward the aisle that led to the kitchen.

She followed, eyes scanning everything. When they reached the counter, she picked up one of the knives from the rack, testing the balance in her hand.

"...You picked out a decent knife," she said.

"Oh, that?" Kiyotaka opened the fridge. "The staff at the mall helped me out. I told them I wanted something good but cheap."

He pulled out a can of orange juice and cracked it open. After a sip, he held another can toward her.

"Want one?"

"No. But I appreciate the gesture," Horikita replied, placing the knife back in its slot.

"More for me, then."

He leaned against the counter and took another sip. Horikita continued looking around the space—pots, pans, utensils all neatly stored.

For someone who claimed to have never cooked, he had a surprisingly good sense for choosing tools.

Then again, he probably just bought whatever the store clerk recommended.

Still, something about it struck her as off.

With her observation done, Horikita crossed her arms again.

"We should get this over with," she said. "You've already wasted twenty minutes."

"Oh, sorry. I was thirsty."

He reached into the upper cupboard and pulled down a folded apron, then looped it around his waist.

Horikita glanced at the way he tied his apron. There was no wasted movement. He even tied it properly.

She assumed he'd be more clumsy, seeing as he supposedly never cooked before.

Then, she decided to let her suspicions rest. Putting on an apron was something even a child could do.

Kiyotaka noticed her eyes lingering, but said nothing.

He was a little amused, though.

She definitely thought something was off. And from the look in her eyes, she was growing more certain by the second.

"Let's start?"

Horikita nodded. 

Then, without waiting, she stepped past him and opened the fridge.

"Let's see what you have in here."

The cool air drifted out as she scanned the contents. Then, her eyes widened— just slightly —but the reaction faded as quickly as it came.

Inside were neatly arranged leftovers in clear containers. A basket of eggs. Fresh vegetables sealed in bags—carrots, green onions, half a head of cabbage. The freezer held an assortment of meats: pork, beef, and chicken parts.

And on the door shelves: butter, a bottle of soy sauce, one opened carton of milk, and no less than five cans of orange juice lined in a row.

"You sure spent a lot on food," she muttered, closing the fridge.

She walked over to the pantry cabinet and pulled it open.

Everything was organized. Rice. Pasta. Miso packets. Canned tuna. Peanut butter. Seasonings arranged by height—salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili flakes, dried parsley. Soy sauce. Oyster sauce. Worcestershire. 

She stood there a moment, staring at it all.

Then, she noticed a box of baking soda sat tucked into a corner.

For odor control, Horikita noted. Her mother used to say it helped keep smells in check.

So how did Kiyotaka know about it? Well... he could have just researched. But this whole invitation was making her more suspicious by the second.

And worse? She couldn't tell what his goal was. All she knew was that something felt off, but not to the point of alarm.

She closed the cabinet gently, then glanced his way. "I'm really supposed to believe you've never cooked before?"

"You don't need to be a good cook to have an organized pantry, Horikita," Kiyotaka replied. "I just did my research."

"You researched very well," she remarked. "Do you even need my help at this point?"

At that, Kiyotaka opened the fridge and took out a clear container.

"I tried making this katsudon yesterday," he said, showing the container to her. "As you can see, I failed miserably."

It actually didn't look that bad from the outside. But it was also possible the taste came a little off.

"You still ate it," she pointed out.

"I didn't want to waste food."

Horikita sighed. Of course he'd have a smartass reply lined up.

"At least this gives me an idea," she said, turning toward the counter. "We'll make katsudon. I'll throw in some knife handling, too. You strike me as the type to experiment a lot, so it's better to teach you how not to injure yourself."

Kiyotaka glanced at her. That might've been the longest single thing he'd ever heard her say.

"Sounds good. Thanks, Horikita."

"Remember—you owe me for this," she added, already pulling ingredients from the fridge and pantry.

"Yeah, I know."

With that, she launched into a lecture on the basics: washing vegetables, preparing rice, slicing meat without butchering the fibers. Kiyotaka followed every step. A little too well.

Horikita started to notice. His grip on the knife, his timing on the heat, the way he handled the oil— it wasn't flawless, but it lacked the usual stiffness of a beginner.

Kiyotaka was aware of her growing suspicion.

So, when it came time to pour in the beaten eggs, he deliberately let them sit a moment too long.

"You shouldn't rely too much on timers," Horikita said, eyeing his phone on the counter. The screen was lit with a stopwatch app. "Watch the food. That's usually enough."

"I'll take note of that."

She gave a small nod. "Good."

Once the katsudon was done cooking, Kiyotaka plated the dish and placed it in front of her. 

"Anyway, give it a taste. Tell me how I did."

Horikita took a fork, cut a slice, and sampled the dish.

"Egg aside, you did well, Ayanokōji-kun," she commented. "You cooked the meat just right. Seems like you're a quick learner."

"Thank you. But, with what I know now, this one is rather easy to make," he replied.

"It is," she agreed. "Still, for a beginner, this is impressive."

In the end, she chose to believe Kiyotaka was telling the truth about not knowing how to cook. He was just a fast learner.

The signs that had felt suspicious earlier— the good choices in tools, the organized fridge, the pantry, the ease with which he handled the ingredients —could all be explained by research. 

Kiyotaka struck her as someone who'd do his homework before doing something. At least, that's what this afternoon made her think.

So yes, she believed his words. He was a beginner. Just an unusually competent one.

Although her suspicions didn't vanish completely, her opinion of him rose significantly.

Exactly as Kiyotaka intended.

End of Chapter

Closing Note: Kiyotaka's already pulling the trigger to a few of his plans for this volume. Hopefully, when the payoff comes in a few chapters, you guys would realize his seemingly mundane actions had a purpose.

Also... you guys are insane! I didn't expect for this to pop off this much. The stats look crazy...

How did I already have two 2k-read chapters at this point? Makes me cry happy tears.