Eventually, after peeking through the cafeteria door, I decided to go to the convenience store, bought some bread, and returned to the classroom.
A group of friends were eating with their desks next to each other, while there were various students quietly eating alone. The only thing common was that nearly everyone had a bento from either the convenience store or the cafeteria.
I was going to start eating when I saw that Horikita had already returned to her seat.
She had on her desk a sandwich that looked delicious.
I returned to my seat without saying anything.
When I was about to take my first bite of my bread, music started to play out of the speakers.
"Today, at 5pm in gymnasium number 1, there will be a club fair. For those of you with an interest in clubs, please come to gymnasium number 1. I repeat, today──"
A girl with a cute voice made an announcement over the PA.
Clubs, huh. I've never been in a club before.
"Hey, Horikita───"
"I have no interest in clubs."
"… I didn't even ask anything yet."
"Ok, then what?"
"Are you going to participate in any clubs?"
"Ayanokouji-kun. Do you have dementia? Or are you just an idiot? Didn't I say from the beginning that I have no interest in clubs?"
"Just because you don't have any interest doesn't mean you won't participate."
"That's a frivolous argument. Don't make that kind of pointless talk."
"Ok…"
Horikita has no interest in clubs or making friends. Whenever I talk to her, she looks annoyed. I wonder if she came to this school just for the education or the high employment rate.
It wouldn't be surprising if that was her only reason, but it seems unnatural.
"You really don't have any friends, I see."
"That's wrong. Now I can talk to you pretty well."
"You say that, but don't count me as one of your friends."
"R-right, sure…"
"Since you want to go see the clubs, do you intend to enter any clubs?
"No, I'm still thinking about it. I probably won't join one though."
"If you're not going to join a club, why are you going to the club fair? Strange. Are you using clubs as a pretext to make friends?"
How is she so smart? No, it's probably that I'm too easy to understand.
"Because I failed on the first day, clubs are my last chance to make any friends."
"Isn't it fine to invite anyone other than me?"
"It's because I have no one else to invite that I'm having trouble!"
"That's true. However, I don't think that Ayanokouji-kun seriously means the things you say. If you really wanted a friend, you'd probably talk more earnestly."
"Because that's not possible for me, I tread the path of loneliness."
Horikita quietly resumed eating her sandwich.
"I can't really understand that kind of contradictory thinking."
I want friends, but I can't make friends. It seems that Horikita couldn't understand that.
"Did you ever do any clubs?"
"No. I have no experience in any clubs."
"Then do you have any experience with things outside of clubs? Oh, you're talking about something like this and that?"
"… What are you trying to say? I feel the malice behind your words."
"Malice? I didn't even tell you what I was referring to though."
I received a chop to my side in a quick motion.
I reflexively coughed from her unexpected strength.
"Hey, what was that for!?"
"Ayanokouji-kun. I've warned you already, but it seems like you don't listen to what I say. Remember that I'm capable of inflicting more pain than I just did."
"No violence! Violence doesn't solve anything!"
"Really? Ever since the beginning of time, violence has existed because it is the most efficient way of resolving problems. It is the fastest way of either getting your point across to the other party or ignoring the other party's desires. After all, even countries employ police who use weapons and violence to arrest people, right?
"You sure talk a lot…"
She gave me a grand speech, asserting that she did nothing wrong. Whenever she made a remark, she would say absurd things and use it to viciously retort.
"From now on, I will use violence in order to fix the errors of your ways. How about it?"
"How would you feel if I said the same thing to you?"
I wonder why they call men who raise their hand against a women the lowest and cowardly.
"It doesn't matter, because don't you think that'll never happen? After all, I never say something I shouldn't."
That was an answer that came far out of left field. She seems to believe that she's never wrong.
Even though she looks and acts in a civil manner, she's mean on the inside.
"I got it, I got it. I'll be really careful from now on."
Giving up on inviting Horikita, I looked out the window. Ah, the weather's good today.
"Club activities… is it. I see… "
Horikita mumbled as she pondered over something.
"Only a bit after school is ok, right? I'll go with you."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Didn't you say it yourself? That you wanted to go to the club fair."
"Oh, right. I never intended to stay long. After all, I was only looking for an excuse. Is that fine?"
"If it's only for a short while. Then, I'll see you after school."
After that, she resumed eating. Looks like she decided to go along with my attempt to make more friends.
Earlier I said that she was unpleasant to talk to, but her attitude seems to be taking a turn for the better.
"Looking at you trying to make friends and failing sounds interesting."
Never mind, she's still unpleasant.