After finishing my call with Arisu, it was time to head to school as usual. I put on my shoes and stepped outside, taking in the refreshing air. I locked the door to my room and made my way towards the elevator, following my regular routine.
As I approached the elevator, I noticed a familiar figure standing nearby—a person I didn't expect to see, at least not at this time.
"You do hate to see me, huh?" the person spoke, and I recognized him, Nagumo.
"As you started this, I will end it," I replied calmly, not letting his presence affect me.
"Oh, someone is confident here, or should I say overconfident?" Nagumo taunted.
"I don't care what you think about me," I said, knowing exactly why he had come here. Nevertheless, I decided to play dumb for a while.
"As your senior, I should give you some advice: today, there will be an announcement. Look forward to it."
An announcement, huh?
"I could see from your eyes that you believe it wouldn't be a big deal for you." He said, observing my face.
"Beats me," I replied curtly, ending the conversation there.
"Well then, let's see each other in the next battle," Nagumo said before leaving.
So, he was giving me a direct challenge for the upcoming special test.
After Nagumo left, I continued walking towards the academy. Now it was time for the lunch break, which I had scheduled to meet Arisu in the cafeteria.
As usual, I left the room quietly and made my way to our designated meeting spot. However, just as I was about to reach the cafeteria, Horikita called out to me from behind, seeking information.
"It's been a while since the academy had a special exam. They do conduct tests regularly, of course," she said, wanting to know my thoughts on the matter.
Maybe I should help her one last time before moving on.
"Regarding that, I do know," I replied.
"If you knew, why didn't you say anything earlier?" Horikita questioned.
"Because I felt it wasn't necessary," I responded, knowing that my vague answer would pique her curiosity.
"Tell me now, without hiding any information," she demanded.
"Fine, but I don't have the full details yet. I can tell you that there will be an announcement today, so look forward to it," I replied, providing her with some help.
As I answered her question, I prepared to take my leave, mentioning that I had other matters to attend to. Horikita, however, had one more question.
"How do you know this, Ayanokoji?" she inquired.
I could have stayed silent, but perhaps it would be better to reveal the source.
"Nagumo told me," I stated, leaving Horikita surprised.
Despite her further inquiries, I remained tight-lipped and continued on my way towards the cafeteria.
Inside the cafeteria, most of the seats were already taken, but Arisu had reserved a special seat for us to talk. Approaching my seat, I could clearly see Arisu's smiling face.
"Ohhh, Ayanokouji-kun, when did you arrive?" she greeted me.
"Just now, you could say," I replied, a hint of amusement in my voice.
"And I apologize for reserving the seats without informing you," Arisu apologized.
"That's not a problem. In fact, it will help our conversation go smoothly," I assured her.
To be honest, it was the truth. I had completely forgotten to reserve seats for us.
As our conversation progressed, I explained my entire plan to Arisu, leaving the final decision in her hands.
Arisu seemed lost in thought, taking her time to consider. Seeing her deep in contemplation, I decided to ask her directly once more, seeking her final answer.
"Arisu, will you accept it?" I inquired, eagerly awaiting her response.
Arisu smiled and replied, "I will gladly accept it. I have this indescribable feeling inside me, one I've never experienced before. So count me in as your partner."
A sense of relief washed over me as Arisu agreed to join forces. It wasn't easy to persuade her, considering she knew everything about me, just as I knew everything about her.
"Good to hear. I knew persuading you wouldn't be an easy task. After all, we've been childhood friends, haven't we?" I remarked, as playing a role.
"Yes," she replied softly
As the lunch break came to an end, we prepared to part ways. But before I had a chance to speak, Arisu interjected, "Let's be in the same class next time."
The first phase of my plan had been accomplished, and now it was up to Arisu to fulfill her role.
Chapter 2 concluded