"Tenma, do you ever plan on studying?"
Ken asked me worriedly as we walked to school. All of a sudden just talking about studying, what is he thinking about?
"As long as I have a passing grade, I think I'll pass on studying."
"But to have a passing grade, studying is mandatory."
"You are not wrong. In that case, I'll take a quick peek on a few answered questions and then it's done. It will be alright."
Aki, who was beside Ken, intervened with some straightforward attitude.
"You are not a genius who will understand a thing if only you take a 'quick peek'."
"I may not be a genius but at least I am smart."
Aki scoffed as she replied, "You should not be delusional sometimes."
They do not believe me, do they? But a passing grade is a good grade so why should I bother myself and aim higher.
"Have you been thinking about the future?"
"The future..."
I murmured and pondered about what Ken said. The future, lately I have not been thinking about that.
Only the present was on my mind. I never did look upon that. I never considered my future.
"Did you not think about what you want to do after you graduate? Which university do you want to go or which specific kind of job you want to pursue?"
Ken sounded like an advisor or a teacher that interviews student about their career plans.
"Oh come on, we are freshmen. We still have time to consider all of that when we are third years. For the time being, let's be devoid of any worries for that."
Ken did not continue, or so to say, I was kind of right. That's why he was hesitant on how to reply to me.
On the other side though.....
"He is destined to be a drug lord or a fucking serial killer." Aki 'jokingly' predicted my future.
She started a war.
"The day I become one, you are the first on my kill list," I stated with some hint of truth.
"Oh I'm so scared~ I don't want to be targeted by the incompetent goons you would hire."
"You gorilla! Do you think I am going to send ordinary hitmen on you!?"
"What did you call me!? An idiot with a sadistic tendency has no right to slander me!!"
"Haa!?! Why the hell are you insulting me with nonsense?"
"Oh sorry then, I didn't need to do that because your face itself is an insult. I pity those who have seen both your shitty face and your stupidity."
"Stupid? And me!? You should look at yourself before you say anything to me you pea-sized brain gorilla!"
"Maybe it is you who should look at yourself, more specifically your grades, before you can even lift a finger against me!"
The hateful glares passed over the unfazed Ken as we were reaching to school.
Me and Aki's gaze never did break contact. After all, it would mean submitting to the other person, making them feel superior to one's another.
And me? Inferior to this gorilla? I will not accept that!!!
Even Aki was thinking about the same thing about me. She wore her indoor shoes while still staring furiously at me.
Ken calmly but wryly interfered with our staring battle.
"Seriously, can you two stop? Are you going to continue even during classes?"
"If it means that I win, then so be it!"
I declared confidently.
"Win what.....?" Ken muttered to himself as he gave up on me.
Aki also made this confrontation more intense as she accepted my offer to conflict by smirking and provoking me.
"Wow watch where you are going! You might trip and get plastic surgery on your face. Well, that would probably be a blessing in disguise for you shitty visage, wouldn't it?"
My eyes were unperturbed as they kept its sight to Aki's eyes. I retaliated from her slander.
"More than me, I'm worried if you are the one to trip. I may feel sorry for the floor to endure such a disaster that befell on them. I hope the school can cover the damage done to the structure."
The insults went on and on, eventually, when we reached near our classroom, Ken has had enough.
"Guys stop it. Aki, will you be able to study like that?"
Suddenly Aki came to her calm state and broke eye contact first. She immediately lost.
"Ah, that's right. You have a point."
With my triumphant smirk, I announced the winner.
"So you admit defeat huh. I guess your resolute is weak, unlike mine."
Aki was pissed but she played it off with a reasonable excuse.
"I can't learn if I just keep staring at your boring face."
The circumstances led me to victory so I did not bask into my win for very long. After all, I won't follow class like Aki or Ken. Because all I want is passing grades, not excellent grades.
....
"Everyone introduce yourselves to the newcomer."
The first one to act was.....
"Once again, I'm Kaburagi Reika. First-year. Nice to meet you." Kaburagi unhesitantly did it and Kinoshita bow slightly.
"M-My name is Oshiro.....Misumi, a second year. N-Nice to meet...you."
".....Tsk."
Oshiro nudged the irritated Matsuoka for his actions.
"....Matsuoka Takeo. Second-year."
"...and I am Fuwa Hijiri. Third year and the President. Nice to meet you."
Kinoshita looked at everyone nervously. He greeted everyone with manners.
"Everyone. N-Nice to meet you all."
Fuwa was content with what she was seeing. There was a rectangular table where all 5 of them assembled. Fuwa sat at the end of the table.
"How about we review some of Kinoshita's favourite book."
She put forward a plan for the day.
Kinoshita sat nervously on one side of a table, alongside Kaburagi Reika, whilst on the other side, there was Matsuoka Takeo and Oshiro Misumi.
Ken was, as always, nervous with the new people who he would spend time with. That too for an hour.
Well, part of his nervousness was because he was sat next to the beautiful first-year girl, Kaburagi Reika. Apart from Fujimoto Aki and his 3 sisters, he hasn't been conversing with other girls.
Hirabayashi Maika could be one of them but they chatted in just two occasions. During the boat incident and about the recruitment for clubs. Additionally, she just couldn't be compared with THE Kaburagi Reika.
The topper in not only her grades but her looks too amongst first years.
Anyway, Kinoshita was shocked to be the centre of the attention just after all the members have assembled in this club room.
Right off the bat, he was put on the spot. So much for being a ghost member, or even, a half-ghost member.
Kinoshita expected to be forced into participating a little bit but, he doubted that Fuwa Hijiri will actually keep her part of the deal.
"E-Eh?...Do I really have to...?"
"A new member means some kind of introductory formality is needed. In this way, we can understand what kind of perso you are."
'This is just another way of interrogating,' was what Kinoshita thought to himself.
"Then,...one of my favourite book that I have been reading recently is a novel which is called...'The Ordeal of Guilt.'....."
Matsuoka's eyebrow raised with curiosity as the name came across his mind with a flash.
Kinoshita continued, "It just came out recently so I thought I checked it out. So I found myself intrigued by....."
He suddenly stopped as he was getting uncomfortable. There was a certain someone who was intensely staring at him, that's why he called out.
"Umm....Matsuoka-senpai?"
All three members looked at Matsuoka as Kinoshita noticed his antagonistic behaviour.
Fuwa Hijiri glared and warned Matsuoka.
"Matsuoka, didn't I tell you to not frighten our new member?"
Matsuoka hesitantly looked to Fuwa Hijiri, then back to Kinoshita before resting his eyes to the table.
"W-Wait...That is not what.....you think, Fuwa-senpai..."
Oshiro Misumi, who was beside Matsuoka, protected his actions which seemed not that unacceptable to her.
Matsuoka caught on to what his childhood friend, Oshiro was trying to say. So he attempted to stop her.
"Oi Misumi. Stay out of it."
Oshiro worriedly looked at Matsuoka but defied him as she continued to divulge his reasons for acting like this.
"I-It's because he is interested in what Kinoshita is talking about, that's why he was staring so intensely at him."
"Tsk!" Matsuoka subconsciously clicked his tongue at Oshiro. Maybe because he did not want Oshiro to disclose this small matter.
Fuwa Hijiri, Kaburagi Reika and Kinoshita were surprised at Oshiro's explanation.
To which, Fuwa snuck a giggle as she put on an understanding tone. She was now less intimidating as she spoke with Matsuoka.
"Sometimes I forget that you are a nerd."
A vein popped as he exclaimed.
"Hah!!? Fuwa-senpai, do you want me to slap you!?"
"Of course not...*Snickers*.....You might want to do something else like take part with Kinoshita on discussing that book you both are into."
".....Again with that?"
This time, Matsuoka didn't straight out reject Fuwa on the cooperation with Kinoshita. He was undecisive now about whether he should really accept this new member and get together.
Still, he could not ignore the fact that he is acquainted with those two infamous first-years.
They were troublesome. As long as Kinoshita would not bring any problem or any unnecessary noise into this club, then Matsuoka would not contemplate about accepting him fully in this club.
He knows Kinoshita loves books now, as foretold by the 'tests Matsuoka himself gave him. It is just those two delinquents and his reason to enlist in this club that acts as a barrier to completely acknowledge him.
"So? Care to share what's going on inside your head?" Fuwa pushed Matsuoka for answers.
A few moments later, his thoughts were translated out of his mouth.
"My head is saying 'No'."
'So persistent,' Kaburagi Reika thought about her stern senior. Matsuoka was one of the few students who did not get bewitched by Kaburagi's beauty.
It was not intentional to seduce people by her charm, but Reika still had a tinge of lingering frustration. The frustration of not having a unanimous number of admiration for her charm.
"Well, it's okay. Continue Kinoshita."
Fuwa beckoned Kinoshita as he hesitantly spoke due to Matsuoka. But still, he continued.
From then on, Matsuoka kept quiet and stared at the rest of the club members who were interested in this book that Kinoshita put forward.
Even though at first Kinoshita had a pretty awkward relationship with the members, now through the book, he felt that something has changed.
It was becoming stable and normal so to speak. But the same can't be said to Matsuoka Takeo and a little from Oshiro Misumi.
Oshiro too is supporting Matsuoka's side mainly because she is scared of Kinoshita
They just need some time together, and they will themselves see what kind of a person is Kinoshita.
"...' The Ordeal of Guilt', now that I have heard the sypnosis, I can say that it has a very different concept to what most of the novels that I have read so far."
Kaburagi was the first one to be impressed and captivated by the book that Kinoshita was talking about.
He recommended it to them, "That's why it is popular even though it hasn't been long since it was published. It is really good."
While explaining, his eyes met with Kaburagi for a brief moment. Immediately after, he averted his sight. He was hiding his blushing cheeks by looking down to the table's surface.
Although Matsuoka was somewhat immune to Kaburagi's presence, Kinoshita was not.
Then she looked confused as to why Kinoshita did that.
Inside he is just a shy boy who is easily agitated to intimidatingly beautiful girls.
Fuwa noticed it so she intervened naturally.
"So, how about we read the book the Kinoshita recommended and we review it for tomorrow. Any objections."
"None," Kaburagi stated.
".....There are n-none..." Oshiro too accepted Fuwa's suggestion.
"....." Matsuoka did not refuse and he only stared at her.
Fuwa smiled at Kinoshita who started this club's activity for the day. He still had an embarrassed expression on but it is slowly is dissipating.
"Well then, moving on..."
Fuwa proceeded to resume their club activities with Kinoshita who has much more time to be in this room.
...
"What are we going to do here for an hour?"
Aki and I sat on the stairs on the rooftop.
"How about you start massaging my head?"
"You are kidding me, right? I don't want to be your masseur again." Annoyed as I was, I refuse to serve her.
Aki replied brutally.
"Who told you to become my masseur? You are already my slave."
"What!!!"
I was in utter shock. Do I look like much of a fucking slave?!?
"Don't shout like that. My head is hurting more. Come on, your work just increased."
She made me shut my mouth, unable to sprout even a tiny bit of insult against her. What do I do now?
If I refuse, she'll thrash me.
Shit!!.... Guess I have to abide by her 'orders'.
I commenced doing a massage on her head.
"You are getting better Tenma. Instead of being a serial killer or a lazy bum, why don't you become a masseur?"
Her sarcastic tone hit me good. Ah, I wish to strangle her with all my might.
"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Gorilla."
Aki loves to use violence so she proceeded to use it on me too. Also, her attacks are like unpredictable so I can't dodge it. Even now, she karate chopped me on the side of my stomach without even looking back!!
"Agh!!" I felt the pain and to top it off, she maliciously glared at me.
I quickly resumed massaging her head.
There was silence. I was getting less annoyed as time goes and Aki was just feeling great. Her eyes were closed as she got to feel the air and get a head massage at the same time.
After about 15 minutes, whilst still having her eyes closed, she asked me.
"Tenma, is your hip okay?"
"Huh?"
"The injury you got while fighting the gang from Chiba High School."
"...It's fine. I can consider it healed. Why are you asking?"
"You know....."
She inhaled some air as she paused. I waited for her as she momentarily exhaled a big puff of oxygen.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked back at me.
I stopped the massage as she looked at me seriously.
"I want to fight you."