The entrance ceremony ended with the kind of polite clapping that meant absolutely nothing.
People poured out of the gym like a wave—uniforms, excited voices, nervous laughter, loud plans. Groups formed fast. Like watching magnets pull together.
The cheerful ones went toward cafés.
The louder ones talked about karaoke like it was a sacred mission.
The quiet ones moved alone, eyes down, trying to disappear.
And the ones who thought they were already "above everyone" walked like they owned the school.
I stood on the steps for a moment, hands in my blazer pockets, and watched the crowd spread across campus.
ANHS looked too perfect.
Clean paths. Wide roads. Buildings that didn't feel like "school buildings," more like a private city. Even the air felt managed.
If this place is a cage, they made the cage pretty.
I rolled my wrist slightly under my sleeve, just enough to feel the solid weight hidden there.
Omnitrix.
My trump card.
A calm, secret heat under my skin.
I exhaled and started walking.
Most people were heading to the dorms right away, but I didn't feel like rushing.
I wasn't nervous.
I wasn't excited in a shaky way.
I was… entertained.
Let's see how fast these kids waste their money.
Because the moment the teacher said "100,000 points," it was over. Their brains turned into shopping carts.
I passed a group of boys who were already arguing about what to buy first.
"Game console."
"Clothes."
"Protein."
"Girls."
I snorted quietly.
Yeah. You'll be broke in a month and crying about "unfairness."
I kept walking.
My room key and handbook could wait.
Before I went to the dorms, I wanted to see something.
The convenience store.
If ANHS was really a "complete world," the store would tell me how deep the system was.
And if it was too generous…
That meant the trap was just bigger.
The convenience store sat in a neat little spot, close enough to the dorm route that students drifted in naturally.
It wasn't some tiny corner shop, either. Bright lights, clean shelves, everything lined up like it was built for comfort.
The doors slid open, and cool air hit my face.
Inside, the store was already packed.
Uniforms everywhere. Baskets filled with instant noodles and snacks like these kids were preparing for war.
A few students stared when I walked in.
Not because I was loud.
Because I looked like I stepped out of a poster.
I felt it—eyes catching, then lingering too long.
Girls whispered.
Boys sized me up.
I didn't react.
Yeah, yeah. I know. Save the worship for later.
I walked deeper into the store, scanning shelves. Toiletries, stationery, food, drinks. Everything you'd need to survive without leaving campus.
Then I saw her.
Horikita Suzune.
Long black hair that fell straight and neat. Pale skin. Sharp eyes that looked like they'd judge you for breathing wrong. Her beauty was the cold kind—pretty enough to make you stare, but her face made you want to look away right after.
She was holding a basket and picking out the cheapest necessities without hesitation.
Cheap shampoo. Cheap soap. Cheap face wash.
So you're the "I don't waste" type. Figures.
Horikita noticed me almost instantly.
Her eyes flicked up.
A small pause.
Then her expression tightened slightly, like she'd smelled something annoying.
"Senju-kun," she said flatly.
I smiled.
"Horikita-san."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Why are you here?"
The question wasn't "hello."
It was "why are you in my space."
I shrugged lightly.
"I need things," I said. "I plan to bathe at least once this week."
She didn't laugh.
She just stared at me like she was trying to decide if I was joking.
I lifted a hand and gestured at her basket.
"You're picking the cheapest stuff," I noted. "Respect. But also… you're terrifying."
Horikita's gaze dropped to her basket, then back to me.
"It's common sense," she said. "We don't know if the points are stable."
My smile widened.
"Oh?" I said. "So you're not one of the idiots sprinting toward the snack aisle like it's the end of the world."
"I'm not," she replied, tone sharp.
Then she looked me over again, slow and exact.
"And you don't look like you're worried either."
I tilted my head.
"I'm not worried," I said simply.
Horikita's eyes held mine.
"Why?"
I didn't answer right away.
Not because I didn't have an answer.
Because telling her the real one would be insane.
Because I can turn into a Galvan and rewrite half this campus if I feel like it.
So I gave her a different truth.
"Because I don't panic," I said. "Panicking is for people with no options."
Horikita's gaze sharpened.
Like she didn't like my tone.
Or maybe she didn't like that she couldn't read me yet.
Before she could say anything else—
The doors slid open again.
And I saw him.
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka.
Average face. Average hair. Average posture.
But he had that quiet stillness. Like his body didn't waste energy unless it had to.
He walked in alone, eyes drifting across the store like he was just browsing.
Then his gaze landed on us.
His eyes widened a fraction.
Not surprise.
More like annoyance.
Like he'd wanted to be invisible and got spotted.
I smiled to myself.
There you are.
Ayanokōji stopped near the entrance for a second, then approached slowly.
Horikita's mouth tightened immediately.
"Of course," she said, voice low. "Now you too."
Ayanokōji blinked.
"Uh… hello," he said.
I turned slightly toward him.
"Ayanokōji-kun," I greeted, friendly enough.
He looked at me like he was remembering something.
Then he nodded.
"Senju-kun. You're in front of my seat."
"Yeah," I said. "Fate wants you to stare at the back of my head for a year."
Ayanokōji didn't laugh, but his eyes softened faintly.
"Sounds… tough."
Horikita's stare cut into both of us.
"Why are you acting like you know each other?" she asked.
I grinned.
"We're classmates," I said. "That's enough."
Ayanokōji scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"We haven't really talked yet," he admitted.
"Now we are," I said.
Horikita's eyes narrowed more.
"You're too casual."
I leaned slightly closer, smile sharp.
"And you're too stiff."
Horikita stared at me like she wanted to slap me with her thoughts.
Ayanokōji stood between us like a man caught between two sharp objects.
He cleared his throat lightly.
"So… you're shopping too, Horikita-san?"
Horikita's voice stayed cold.
"Yes."
Ayanokōji nodded.
"Me too. I needed something to eat."
I glanced at his empty basket.
"You came all the way here without even grabbing anything yet?" I asked.
Ayanokōji looked mildly embarrassed.
"I was… thinking."
Horikita's eyes flicked to him.
"About what?"
Ayanokōji hesitated.
Then answered honestly.
"How the school benefits from giving us this much money."
I smiled.
Horikita didn't.
But her eyes sharpened—she cared about that question.
"Good," Horikita said. "At least you're thinking."
I leaned back, hands still in pockets.
"It's bait," I said casually.
Both of them looked at me.
I continued, tone calm.
"If they hand you comfort, they expect you to get used to it," I said. "Then they take it away. That's how you break people."
Horikita's gaze stayed steady.
Ayanokōji's expression didn't change, but his eyes watched me more carefully now.
Horikita spoke, flat but firm.
"That's not proof."
I shrugged.
"Of course it isn't," I said. "But it's a smart guess."
Horikita's eyes moved to my basket.
I hadn't grabbed anything yet.
"You aren't buying anything either," she noted.
I smiled.
"I'm browsing," I said. "I like knowing the shape of the cage."
Horikita stared at me like she hated that sentence.
Good.
I didn't need her to like me.
I needed her to respect me.
And respect didn't come from being soft.
We drifted through the store.
Not like friends.
More like three people stuck in the same storm, walking in the same direction.
Horikita picked cheap essentials. Efficient.
Ayanokōji hovered around the food shelves, looking uncertain.
Me?
I watched everything.
How the cash registers worked.
How the students lined up.
How the cameras sat in corners, angled perfectly.
How the staff watched without really watching.
They're not employees. They're observers.
I grabbed a bottle of water and tossed it in my basket.
Then a small pack of tissues.
Then, because I wanted to be annoying, I picked up a slightly expensive snack and stared at it like it was a philosophical question.
Horikita noticed.
"That's unnecessary," she said instantly.
I looked at her.
"You keep saying 'unnecessary' like it's a magic spell," I replied.
"It is," Horikita said. "It keeps people from wasting money."
Ayanokōji glanced between us, like he wasn't sure if he should step away.
I smiled at Horikita.
"You're going to have a rough time here," I said.
Horikita narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
"Because you talk like you think you can control everyone," I said lightly, "but no one listens to people who sound like a lecture."
Horikita stared at me.
Her expression didn't crack.
But her eyes shifted, just slightly.
Like she'd been hit.
Ayanokōji blinked, surprised.
Horikita spoke slowly.
"And you think you can control people?"
I smiled.
"I don't control them," I said. "I push. If they fall, they fall."
Horikita looked disgusted.
Ayanokōji looked thoughtful.
Then something caught my eye.
In the corner of the store—an odd little section.
It looked like normal goods.
But there was one huge difference.
A label.
FREE
Horikita noticed at the same time.
She stepped closer, picked up a small pack of bandages, and stared at the sign.
"Free?" she repeated, skeptical.
I leaned in, eyes scanning the smaller print.
Three items per month.
I let out a quiet laugh.
"Cute," I murmured.
Ayanokōji stepped closer too.
"So the school just… gives you stuff for free?"
Horikita's eyes narrowed.
"It's limited," she said. "And it's basic goods."
I looked at the items.
Toothbrushes.
Bandages.
Cheap toiletries.
Emergency-level supplies.
I tapped the sign lightly with my finger.
"They expect people to burn through points," I said.
Horikita's gaze sharpened.
Ayanokōji looked uncertain.
"That's one possibility," he said.
Horikita spoke bluntly.
"Or it's simply emergency support."
I smiled.
"Same thing," I said.
Horikita stared at me like she wanted to argue.
Ayanokōji glanced at Horikita.
Then asked, carefully—
"Horikita-san… why are you picking the cheapest things?"
Horikita didn't even blink.
"Because I don't know when money will become important," she said. "That's all."
Ayanokōji nodded slowly.
"…I should do that too."
Horikita looked at him.
"It would be wise."
I watched Ayanokōji quietly.
You're pretending to be normal, but you're listening like you're building a map.
I liked that.
Then—
A loud voice cut through the store's calm background music.
"Hey, shut up and wait a second! I'm looking for it right now!"
Heads turned.
The line at the register was jammed.
And at the center of it was a guy with red hair and the attitude of a lit fuse.
Sudō Ken.
He looked pissed at the universe.
He had instant noodles in his hands like he was about to throw them.
The staff member behind the register looked tired already.
Someone behind Sudō snapped, "Hurry up!"
Sudō barked, "If you have complaints, take it up with me!"
Ayanokōji flinched slightly.
Horikita's lips pressed into a thin line.
I sighed.
"Class D doesn't even need enemies," I muttered. "We're doing it ourselves."
Ayanokōji stepped forward first, voice cautious.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Sudō turned like he was ready to swing.
Then paused when he saw Ayanokōji's uniform.
"What?" Sudō snapped. "Who are you?"
"Ayanokōji," Ayanokōji said quickly. "Same class."
Sudō's expression eased by exactly one millimeter.
He lowered his voice.
"…I forgot my student ID," Sudō muttered. "They won't let me pay."
Horikita exhaled through her nose like she was disappointed.
Ayanokōji looked at the line, then at Sudō.
"It'd be annoying to go all the way back," he said.
Sudō clicked his tongue.
"Yeah. Obviously."
Ayanokōji hesitated, then offered—
"I can pay," he said. "If you want."
Horikita's eyes sharpened immediately.
I smiled.
There it is.
Sudō blinked, then shrugged like it was normal.
"Yeah, sure," he said. "Thanks. I owe you."
Ayanokōji nodded and took the noodles.
Horikita looked at Ayanokōji like he'd just volunteered to carry someone's baggage forever.
I leaned toward her slightly.
"You look like you're about to call him a servant," I murmured.
Horikita's eyes flicked to me.
"I was thinking it," she admitted, voice flat.
Ayanokōji scanned his student ID and paid.
The machine beeped.
The transaction was quick.
Sudō exhaled, satisfied, and stepped aside with a grunt.
Then he looked at Ayanokōji.
"My name's Sudō," he said. "Thanks."
Ayanokōji nodded.
"Nice to meet you."
Horikita stared at Ayanokōji.
"You're a pushover," she said bluntly.
Ayanokōji stiffened.
"I just didn't want trouble."
Horikita's stare stayed cold.
"That kind of thinking makes you easy to use."
Ayanokōji looked slightly uncomfortable.
I laughed softly.
Horikita glanced at me. "What's funny?"
"I like that you don't bother sugarcoating," I said. "You're rude, but efficient."
Horikita's expression didn't soften.
"Your praise is unnecessary."
I smirked. "There it is again."
We moved to the hot water dispenser area near the store exit.
Ayanokōji poured water into Sudō's cup noodles.
Sudō took it like a king receiving tribute.
Horikita stood to the side, arms folded, clearly thinking, I should leave before I catch stupidity.
I watched Ayanokōji's hands as he worked.
Steady. Careful. Quiet.
And I watched Sudō.
Impatient. Restless. Angry for no reason.
These two being in the same class is a cosmic joke.
Then I felt Horikita shift.
"I'm leaving," she said. "I'll lose my dignity if I stay here longer."
Sudō's head snapped toward her.
"The hell does that mean?" he snapped.
Horikita didn't even look at him.
Sudō stood up fast, anger flaring.
"Hey! Listen when people talk to you!"
Horikita's gaze slid to him.
And her eyes were cold enough to slice glass.
Sudō bristled like he'd been slapped.
Ayanokōji took a step forward, unsure.
I stayed still, watching.
Horikita spoke calmly.
"I don't have to listen," she said. "You aren't important to me."
Sudō's face turned red.
"What did you say?!"
Horikita didn't flinch.
Ayanokōji lifted a hand slightly, like he wanted to stop this but didn't know how.
I stepped forward half a step.
Sudō pointed at Horikita.
"She acts like she's better than everyone!"
Horikita replied instantly.
"I am."
Sudō's expression cracked in rage.
He moved like he was about to grab her.
And before Ayanokōji could react—
I caught Sudō's wrist.
My grip locked around him like a clamp.
Sudō froze.
He tried to yank his arm back.
He couldn't.
His eyes widened slightly, surprised.
I leaned closer, smiling faintly.
"Sudō-kun," I said quietly, "if you put your hands on her, I'm going to embarrass you."
Sudō stared at me.
"What the hell—"
I tightened my grip just enough to make my point.
Not enough to hurt.
Enough to remind him I was stronger.
Sudō swallowed his anger, but it didn't fully die.
It just got forced down.
Horikita looked at my hand on Sudō's wrist.
Then she looked at my face.
Something flickered in her eyes.
Not gratitude.
More like… interest mixed with irritation.
Like she didn't want to owe anyone.
Ayanokōji watched me too.
His expression stayed mild, but his eyes were sharper now.
I released Sudō's wrist and stepped back.
Horikita turned away.
"I'm going," she said again, calm.
I called after her, casual—
"Horikita-san."
She paused, just barely.
I smiled like I was bored.
"Try not to get lost. This campus is huge."
Horikita didn't look back.
"I'll manage."
She started walking again.
Then—
Three voices cut in, loud and smug.
"Hey, you first-years."
All four of us—me, Ayanokōji, Sudō, and even Horikita who hadn't gone far—turned our attention toward the new arrivals.
Three second-year boys.
Same uniform, but worn like they'd already claimed the campus.
They had noodle cups too.
And the kind of smiles that meant they were looking for trouble.
One of them pointed at the little eating area.
"This is our spot," he said, like it was a law.
Sudō's face twisted instantly.
"I was already here," Sudō snapped. "Get lost."
The second-years laughed.
"Listen to him," one said. "A cocky first-year punk."
Sudō's temper flared like gasoline.
He slammed his noodle cup down.
Broth splashed across the ground.
Noodles spilled.
The whole area smelled like instant ramen and anger.
Ayanokōji flinched.
Horikita's eyes narrowed.I stared at the mess, then at Sudō.
As expected the events are the same as from what I remember.
The second-years put their bags down deliberately.
"See?" one said, mocking. "Our stuff is here."
Sudō stepped forward like he wanted to swing.
"You got a lot of guts," he growled.
Ayanokōji looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor.
Horikita's face stayed calm, but her posture stiffened slightly.
The second-years leaned back, amused.
"Which class are you in?" one asked Sudō.
Then he smiled wider.
"Wait, never mind. I can guess."
He pointed.
"You're Class D, aren't you?"
Sudō's eyes widened slightly.
"Yeah," he snapped. "So what?"
The three second-years burst into laughter.
"Knew it," one said. "Dead giveaway."
Horikita's eyes sharpened at the word.
Ayanokōji's expression didn't change, but his gaze stayed on the second-years.
The second-years stepped back, still grinning.
"Aw, you poor things," one said. "Since you're defective, we'll let you off the hook just for today."
Sudō took another step forward, furious.
"Don't run away!"
One of the second-years waved lazily.
"Yeah, yeah," he said. "Keep yapping. You'll be in hell soon enough anyway."
The three turned like they were about to leave.
And something in me went quiet.
Not anger.
Not panic.
Just… a cold, clean focus.
Horikita and Ayanokōji were watching.
Sudō was still vibrating with rage.
And those second-years?
They thought they'd won.
They thought they were untouchable.
I stepped forward.
"Hey," I called, voice calm.
The three second-years stopped.
One turned with a bored look.
"What?"
I smiled.
Not friendly.
Not even amused anymore.
Just smooth.
"You're walking away like you didn't just cause a scene," I said. "That's cute."
One of them scoffed.
"And who the hell are you?"
I didn't answer right away.
I pulled my school-issued device out of my pocket—my S-Phone—and tapped it once.
The screen lit up.
I tilted it slightly toward them, not showing anything specific yet.
Just making sure they saw I was holding it.
Then I spoke softly.
"My name is Senju Kōjirō."
The second-years paused.
Just a fraction.
Because names mattered in places like this.
One of them narrowed his eyes.
"…Senju?"
I smiled wider.
"Yeah," I said. "That Senju."
Horikita's gaze shifted to my profile.
Ayanokōji's eyes narrowed slightly, like he was noting the reaction.
I continued, voice calm.
"You said 'defective,'" I said. "You also threatened 'hell.' You also tried to push first-years out of a public space."
I lifted my phone slightly.
"And there are cameras."
The second-years glanced toward the wall.
Two surveillance cameras sat there, angled down, unblinking.
Sudō's eyes widened.
Ayanokōji's gaze flicked up too, like he hadn't noticed them until now.
Yeah your not fooling anyone Ayanokoji.
Horikita's lips tightened.
One of the second-years scoffed, trying to play confident.
"So what?"
I nodded slowly.
"So what," I repeated, like tasting the words.
Then I tapped my screen again.
"I'm about to file a report," I said. "Harassment. Intimidation. Disrupting the store area."
One of them laughed, loud.
"You're gonna report us? For what, talking?"
I didn't blink.
"For creating a hostile situation," I said. "And provoking violence."
Sudō snapped, "I don't need provocation—!"
I lifted a hand without looking at him.
Sudō shut up.
Horikita's eyes flicked to Sudō, then back to me, as if surprised I could shut him down with a gesture.
I kept my gaze on the second-years.
"Now," I said, voice even, "here's the part where you get to be smart."
One of them frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
I stepped closer.
Not threatening with my body.
Threatening with my certainty.
"You have points," I said simply. "So do I. So do we all."
The second-years stared.
I smiled faintly.
"You're going to transfer points," I said. "Right now."
One of them barked out a laugh.
"You're insane."
I tilted my head.
"No," I said. "I'm practical."
Horikita's eyes narrowed slightly at that.
Ayanokōji watched without speaking.
The second-years' smiles started to fade.
One of them stepped forward.
"You're trying to extort us?" he snapped.
I didn't flinch.
"Call it compensation," I said. "For wasting our time. For provoking this idiot into making a mess. For the fact that you all felt brave enough to say 'defective' on camera."
I pointed at the spilled noodles.
"I want that paid for," I said. "And I want an apology fee."
The second-years stared, angry now.
One of them clenched his fists.
"And if we don't?"
I smiled again.
Cold.
"If you don't," I said, "I file the report. The school reviews the footage. The school decides what happens."
I leaned in a little.
"And if the school is serious about its rules… then you'll have a fun meeting with your homeroom teacher."
One of them hesitated.
Another cursed under his breath.
The third—who'd been silent—looked genuinely nervous.
They weren't afraid of Sudō.
They were afraid of consequences.
That was how people worked.
They swallowed and tried to play tough again.
"Fine," one of them said. "File it. We don't care."
I nodded.
"Okay."
I tapped my screen.
Then I stopped.
And smiled again.
"But I do want to be clear," I said. "If I file it… you don't get to negotiate later."
The second-years stared, unsure.
I continued.
"This is the moment," I said quietly, "where you decide if your pride is worth your points."
Silence.
Then one of them grit his teeth.
"…How much?"
Sudō's head snapped toward them.
Horikita's eyes narrowed.
Ayanokōji's gaze stayed calm, but I felt his attention sharpen like a blade.
I lifted my phone and opened the transfer screen.
"One hundred thousand each," I said.
"One Hundred thousand?!" one shouted, completely enraged.
Sudo and Horikita also looked stunned.
Ayanokoji just narrowed his eyes very slightly.
I didn't react.
"You can afford it," I said. "And it's cheaper than a disciplinary record."
One of them glared hard.
"You're a bastard."
I smiled sweetly.
"I know."
He hesitated.
Then, slowly, he pulled out his phone.
The other two followed, very reluctantly.
I held my S-Phone steady, showing my student ID.
They transferred.
One after another.
The device beeped softly each time.
+100,000 points
+100,000 points
+100,000 points
Three hundred thousand.
Very clean.
Horikita stared at me like she was seeing a new animal.
Ayanokōji stared too, expression mild but eyes watching deeper.
Sudō still looked stunned.
"What the hell…" Sudō muttered.
I tucked my phone away, calm.
"Now clean the mess," I said.
One of the second-years snapped, "You do it—"
I looked at him.
Not angry.
Just empty.
He stopped mid-sentence.
His throat bobbed.
He swallowed.
Then he bent down and started wiping the spilled noodles with napkins from the store.
The other two followed, stiff and furious.
Horikita spoke quietly, tone sharp.
"Senju-kun."
I looked at her.
"That was extortion."
I smiled.
"No," I said. "Extortion is when you take without giving a choice."
I pointed lightly at the door.
"They could've left," I said. "They chose the cheaper option."
Horikita stared.
"You're twisting words."
I shrugged.
"Words are tools."
Ayanokōji finally spoke, voice cautious.
"…You're not worried they'll report you instead?"
I looked back at him.
And smiled like I'd been waiting for that question.
"They can try," I said. "But I didn't threaten them with violence. I didn't touch them. I told them the truth."
I leaned slightly toward Ayanokōji, voice lower.
"And if they report me, they admit they were harassing first-years on camera."
Ayanokōji blinked slowly.
Then he nodded once, subtle.
Horikita's eyes narrowed.
"You're frightening," she said.
I smiled at her.
"Thank you."
Horikita looked annoyed that her insult landed like praise.
Sudō's voice came out rough.
"So… what now?" he asked, half confused, half angry.
I looked at him.
My voice stayed calm.
"Now you stop acting like a rabid dog," I said. "And you remember your student ID next time."
Sudō bristled.
"Who the hell are you to—"
I cut him off, flat.
"The guy who just made three second-years pay you thousands of points for spilling your own noodles."
Sudō froze.
Ayanokōji's eyes widened a fraction.
Horikita stared, silent.
Sudō's mouth opened.
Then closed.
He looked away, angry but stuck.
I watched him for a second.
Then I pulled out my phone and transferred 50,000 points to Sudō. I meant it when I said 'Pay you thousands of points'.
The beep sounded.
Sudō snapped his head back.
"What—?"
"That's your noodles," I said. "And your pride. Try not to waste it."
Sudō looked at the screen of my phone like it offended him.
"You're just doing that to act cool," he muttered.
I smiled.
"Yes," I said. "And it worked."
Sudō made a sound like a growl, but he didn't refuse the points.
Horikita watched me, expression unreadable.
Ayanokōji looked at me quietly.
Then he asked, carefully—
"Why?"
I tilted my head.
"Why what?"
"Why help?" he asked.
I stared at him for a moment.
Then I shrugged.
"Because I felt like it," I said. "And because if Class D is going to be treated like trash… someone has to remind people we bite back."
Horikita's eyes flickered.
Ayanokōji didn't answer.
But his gaze got heavier.
Like he was putting me in a box labeled: dangerous.
Good.
The second-years finished cleaning in stiff silence.
They stood up, faces red with humiliation.
One of them glared at me.
"This isn't over," he hissed.
I smiled like a wolf.
"It's over the moment you stop being stupid," I said.
He flinched—just a little—then stormed off with his friends.
They didn't look back.
The eating area fell quiet again.
The store's calm music returned like nothing had happened.
Horikita stared at the place the second-years left from.
Then she spoke, tone colder now.
"So that's how it is."
I looked at her.
"How what is?"
Horikita's eyes narrowed.
"Upperclassmen already treat Class D like garbage," she said. "And we haven't even had our first real class."
I nodded once.
"Yeah."
Ayanokōji scratched his cheek again, voice low.
"They called us defective…"
Horikita's gaze sharpened like a blade.
"They don't call us that without reason," she said.
I smiled faintly.
"Or they just enjoy stepping on people," I replied.
Horikita looked at me.
"Which do you think it is?"
I held her gaze.
"Both," I said. "But the reason matters more."
Horikita's eyes didn't soften.
She looked like she wanted to argue.
Then she didn't.
Instead, she turned away.
"I'm leaving," she said again.
This time, she didn't sound like she cared about dignity.
She sounded like she was thinking.
I watched her walk off toward the dorms.
Ayanokōji stood beside me, quiet.
Sudō slurped his noodles like none of this mattered.
Then Sudō muttered, mostly to himself—
"Tch… stupid second-years."
Ayanokōji finally spoke again.
"Senju-kun," he said.
I glanced back.
"Yes?"
Ayanokōji hesitated like he was choosing his words carefully.
"You don't mind standing out."
I laughed softly.
"I'm Senju," I said. "Standing out is my birthright."
Ayanokōji blinked.
Then gave the faintest smile—so small it almost didn't exist.
"…I see."
I watched him for a second.
His smile disappeared right after.
Back to neutral.
Back to average.
Keep pretending, I thought. I'll peel it off you later.
I stepped away from the eating area, nodding at him.
"I'm heading to the dorms," I said. "You coming?"
Ayanokōji glanced at Sudō.
Sudō waved him off without looking.
"Go," Sudō muttered. "I'm eating."
Ayanokōji nodded.
"Yeah," he said. "I'll go."
We walked toward the dorm route together.
Not as friends.
Not yet.
But as something close to… allies, maybe.
Or at least two people who'd just watched the school show its teeth.
The dorm building was tall and clean, like a hotel pretending to be a school dorm.
At the reception desk, staff handed out keycards and small handbooks.
I stepped up.
"Senju Kōjirō," I said.
The staff member checked a screen, then handed me a card.
"Room 402."
Perfect.
Right next to Ayanokōji's 401, if the numbering matched what I remembered from canon.
I looked at the card, then at Ayanokōji.
"What room did you get?" I asked casually.
He glanced at his card.
"401," he said.
I smiled.
"Well," I said, "I guess you're stuck with me."
Ayanokōji looked mildly awkward.
"…Yeah."
I stepped into the elevator with him.
The doors slid closed.
The ride up was quiet.
Not uncomfortable.
Just quiet.
Then Ayanokōji spoke, voice cautious.
"Earlier… you didn't hesitate."
I looked at him.
"About what?"
"The second-years," he said. "You didn't hesitate at all."
I shrugged.
"Hesitation gets you stepped on," I said simply.
Ayanokōji's eyes stayed on me.
"And you think you won't get stepped on?"
I smiled slowly.
"No," I said. "I think I'll step first."
Ayanokōji didn't react much.
But I saw it.
A tiny shift.
Like he understood.
Or like he was measuring me again.
The elevator dinged.
Doors opened.
We stepped out into the hallway.
Our rooms were right there.
401.
402.
I held my keycard up.
Before I entered, I looked at Ayanokōji again.
"Ayanokōji-kun," I said.
He paused.
"Yes?"
"Let's exchange contacts," I said. "We're neighbors. It's practical."
Ayanokōji blinked.
Then nodded.
"…Okay."
We exchanged S-Phone info quickly.
Simple.
Clean.
No big deal.
But I felt it in my chest anyway.
First thread attached.
I smiled.
"Good," I said. "Now if you hear screaming from my room, ignore it." I joked.
Ayanokōji stared.
"…Screaming?"
I grinned wider.
"Kidding," I said. "Maybe."
Ayanokōji sighed faintly, like he already regretted living next to me.
I tapped my keycard and opened my door.
"Later," I said.
"Later," he replied.
He entered his room.
I entered mine.
My dorm room was neat, clean, and simple.
Eight tatami mats worth of space.
A bed.
A desk.
A closet.
A private bathroom.
A window looking out over the campus.
It was better than most apartments.
I tossed my bag onto the bed, then sat down at the desk, flipping through the dorm handbook.
Basic rules.
Garbage disposal days.
Noise limits.
Don't waste water.
Don't waste electricity.
Then I saw the part I already knew.
No outside contact without permission.
It wasn't written like a threat.
It was written like policy.
Like they were doing me a favor.
I leaned back in my chair, smiling faintly.
Yeah. You're not giving freedom. You're taking control.
I picked up my S-Phone and stared at it.
School-issued.
Locked down.
It felt normal in my hand, but the idea behind it was dirty.
A device designed not just to help students…
…but to watch them.
I tapped the screen, browsing its menus.
Payment functions.
Point transfers.
Student info.
A clean system.
No obvious "call outside" options.
I snorted quietly.
Of course.
My sleeve shifted.
I felt the Omnitrix under my cuff.
Warm.
Patient.
Like it was whispering—
You could break this if you wanted.
And I could.
With Upgrade, I could probably crawl into the phone and rewrite it in five minutes.
With Gray Matter, I could analyze the system and find weak points.
I stared at my phone.
Then I stared at the window.
Then I smiled.
"Not yet," I murmured.
Because I didn't need outside contact.
Not right now.
And hacking it on day one would just make the school and possibly government notice me in the wrong way.
There was "standing out."
And then there was "getting dissected."
I didn't fear consequences…
But I didn't like inconvenience.
Even if Gray Matter and Upgrade could easily make themselves untraceable it felt like cheating too much.
So there was that.
I stood up and walked to the window.
Outside, students moved around the campus like ants.
Some were already spending points like they were trying to empty the system in a day.
Some were already flirting.
Some were already forming groups.
Some were already alone.
I rested my forehead lightly against the glass.
My smile faded into something calmer.
Horikita.
Cold. Sharp. Proud.
Ayanokōji.
Quiet. Average. Lying.
Sudō.
Angry. Explosive. Useful if controlled.
And me?
I looked down at my sleeve again.
A smug smile returned.
I wasn't going to "survive" this school.
I was going to play it.
And if people wanted to call Class D defective—
Fine.
Let them.
Because I'd just shown them something simple.
Class D could be polite.
Class D could be quiet.
Class D could be forgiving.
But Class D could also be terrifying.
And I liked that.
I turned away from the window.
Sat on my bed.
And let out a slow breath.
Day one isn't even finished.
And the school already tried to bite.
I grinned.
"Good," I whispered.
"Now it's fun."
~~~~~~~~
The End of Chapter.
Author Note: How would you all like to see Vilgax and his robots integrated to the story? >:D
Okay I am sure your all wondering about the romance pairings. I am honestly torn up on Kushida Kikyo or Ichinose Honami. These two have always been my favorite COTE girls.
So I will ask you for your opinions on the matter, also if you got any suggestions about how Aliens will fit into all of this. Feel free to share.
Who knows? I might get inspired by some of your suggestions.