Quintuples X COTE

chapter 1-Introduction

Kiyo's pov

After I finished my encounter with the black haired girl, I proceed and went to the entrance ceremony.

I disliked the entrance ceremony and imagined that many first-year students probably felt the same. The principal and the students exchanged excessive words of gratitude, there was far too much time spent standing in lines, and,with so many irritating things to deal with, it all felt like a huge pain in the butt. But those weren’t my only complaints.The entrance ceremonies for elementary school, junior high, and high school all mean the same thing: the start of another major trial for children. In order for students to enjoy their time at school, they must make friends, and there are only a few key days after the entrance ceremony to properly do that. Failure to do so signals the beginning of a rather tragic three years.

Then I proceed to go to my assigned class D.

Looking around the classroom, I walked toward the seat that bore my nameplate. It was at the back of the room, near the window. A good place to sit, generally. As I looked around, I saw that the room was already halfway filled with students. The others were either immersed in their class materials or already talking with other people. Perhaps they’d all been friends beforehand or had only recently gotten acquainted.

I sat down on my chair and hoped that I could make friends.

In the end, I couldn’t talk to anyone at all. At the rate things were going, I’d be completely alone. Had I heard someone say, “Is he still all alone?” Had I heard chuckling? Perhaps it was all in my head. What on earth are “friends,” anyway? Where do friends come from? Do people become friends after sharing a meal together? Can you become friends with someone after you walk to the bathroom together for the first time? The more I thought about it, the more I wondered: What is friendship? Is it something deep and meaningful? I tried to piece it together.

I sighed as I thought about how to make friendship.

“That’s quite a heavy sigh, considering the school year has only begun. Meeting you again makes me want to sigh.”

It was the girl who’d fought with me at the bus stop and then walked off.

“So, we were placed in the same class, huh?” I mumbled.

Well, there were only four classes for all of the first-year students, after all. Statistically, it wasn’t impossible for us to be together.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.”

“You just went ahead and introduced yourself?” she said.

“Well, this is the second time that we’ve spoken. Isn’t it fine for me to do so?”

I had wanted to introduce myself to someone anyway, so it wasn’t as though I could just keep quiet. Besides, in order to become familiar with my class, I had to at least know my neighbor’s name…even if she was this audacious girl.

“Do you mind if I refuse?” she asked.

“I don’t think sitting next to someone for an entire year without knowing their name would be comfortable.”

“I disagree.”

Shooting me a glance, she placed her bag on her desk. Apparently, she wasn’t going to tell me her name. Lacking any interest in the classroom, the girl simply sat upright in her chair like a model student.

“Do you have a friend in another class? Or did you enroll here all on your lonesome?” I asked.

“You’re a curious one, aren’t you? You won’t find talking to me very interesting, though.”