Time Flies

Chapter 5 - Nouvelle Revelations

*shhshhshh*

Closing his eyes, Kiyotaka let the steamy hot water run from his showerhead onto his body, erasing the excess sweat and grime that accumulated on his person during his run. Streams of water spilled over his torso, tracing his whole body; his pectorals, his abdominals, his iliac furrow, his groin, his quadriceps.

He squeezed the bottle of shampoo over his palm, running it across his scalp before he started washing his hair.

Even though he had gained a robust physique and a versatile skill set from his extensive training regimen in the White Room, he often wondered if the trade was worth it. Would he be better off if he had dropped out earlier and lived at home, even if he was without his father's favor? While he despised his father for restricting his freedom and forcing him to experience depersonalization for more than a decade, he was grateful for what he learned. His rampant curiosity was fed, yet that was the only emotion he was able to feel for a long time.

Kiyotaka squeezed the body wash over his loofah and lathered the soap over his body.

His existence was honestly a comical contradiction. Experiencing depersonalization, losing his sense of self, yet his generation was forced to express their own individuality, gaining a sense of self. It was no wonder why nearly all in his batch failed. Perhaps he was meant to fail, too. Was this what had made him a supposed masterpiece? A being transcending a paradoxical circumstance? Was this why he was revered as godly? Despite the reverence the instructors had for him, he was under no such delusion. He was no god. A god had no equal and could not be controlled by a mere puppeteer.

He turned the shower knob so cold water would run for the last two minutes. It wasn't the same cold shower therapy that he was used to in the White Room, but it would do for the time being. Kiyotaka took his towel and dried himself off before applying his lotion on his slightly damp body. He wrapped a fresh towel around his waist and stepped past the bathroom door he opened.

His eyes scanned the room, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Just the same old dorm room. The dining table, immaculate with a clean white cloth over it; his bed, sat on by a crimson-faced Satou covering her eyes; his desk, with the school laptop, printer, and bookcase with some novels he borrowed from the library that were recommended to him by Hiyori; his dresser next to his closet, nearly barren with only a few essentials.

He walked over to his dresser and picked out his boxer briefs, a pair of sweatpants, and a T-shirt. Kiyotaka paused for a moment and backtracked. The closet, the dresser, the desk, the bed—

"How did you even get in here?" Kiyotaka couldn't help but ask. His stupefaction at the situation outweighed his annoyance.

"I stole Chiaki-chan's copy of your dorm key,"

"She what?!" Kiyotaka pinched the bridge of his nose, "Hold on, hand me the key and step outside for a moment. I'll call you back in after I finish dressing up," he said as he held out his hand. The blushing Satou placed the key in his hand before bolting out of his room, hands covering her face.

"What a silly girl. I swear, is Matsushita corrupting her or something? Is this her plan? Turning girls into perverts like her? If she is, I'll have to punish that girl somehow," he grumbled as he put on his clothes. He slicked back his hair and put on a metal hairband to keep his bangs from falling back on his face. His hair was getting a bit long, so he would probably need to get it cut soon. Or, learn how to style it better. He'll probably ask someone to help him— someone that is not Horikita or Kushida. They did him dirty in the spin-off.

He walked over to his dorm room door and opened the door to let Satou in.

"Maya, you can—"

"Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise.