Starting in class C: not completely defective.

Arc 4 chapter 4: recollections of the past

We began making comprehensive preparations for the sports festival in earnest now. Training sessions would be getting harder, since the festival was only one month away. The teachers said we could use the weekly two-hour homeroom period as we wished, and Ryuuen, the leader of class A, took the initiative. Sakagami-sensei moved toward the back of the classroom and didn't say a word. He probably intended to watch.

"Before we bump up the difficulty for our practice sessions, we need to decide the order we'll participate in, and who will enter the recommended-participant competitions. I've been thinking about this for a while," said Ryuuen.

"Okay, but when you say 'decide,' how exactly are we going to decide?"

"Good question. The answer is: ability. The more physically able students in the class will be nominated for all recommended events. I've drafted this participation table:

Scavenger hunt: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

Four-way tug-of-war: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Ryuuen Kakeru, Albert Yamada, Ishizaki Daichi, Ibuki Mio, Kyogou Komiya, Reo Kondou.

Three-legged race (mixed boys and girls): Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Ibuki Mio.

1200-meter relay race: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Ryuuen Kakeru, Ibuki Mio, Albert Yamada, Kyogou Komiya, Reo Kondou.

In the 1200-meter relay race, each of us would have to run roughly 170 metres. I wasn't too worried for myself, but I wondered if the others would be up for it. I noticed that I had been picked for every recommended event. What a pain.

That day, I received an email from all three of my spies. I now had all the participation tables from all 4 classes, and I would be able to manipulate them as I wish. I looked over each table. Classes C and D had gone for a more "volunteer" approach, where students could participate even if they weren't athletically gifted. Not much had to change with those tables. I put Matsushita down for the scavenger hunt, and made sure to put unathletic students there in classes B and C too.

The class B participation table was the only one other than our own that looked professional. All the students who were participating were actually athletic, or at least were physically fit. That would need quite a few changes before the festival.

With everyone working hard, the days passed quickly. Finally, only one week was left until the sports festival. We handed our participation table in to Sakagami-sensei. Either Ryuuen or I would be sure to check it every day to make sure it hadn't been changed. I couldn't have people playing my own strategy against me.

I met up with Matsushita that day to confirm everything with her.

"You will be participating in the scavenger hunt. This event is based on luck, but I can guarantee you will at least get third place." I said.

"Hmm. I suppose I can't ask for much better. Do you have the new participation table?" She asked.

I handed her the participation table I had prepared for her to give to her homeroom teacher, Chabashira-sensei, the day before the festival began.

"Good. I'll see you around, Ayanokouji-kun." She said.

"Yeah, bye." I waved her off.

The reason I had picked Matsushita as a pawn in class D was because I could tell she was smart. I reckon she was a match for some people in class B. She was also athletically above average. She was almost like me, in the way that she kept her talents hidden, but she did a better job than me. At first, I had thought she was an ex white room student, but I quickly found out that she wasn't.

It was strange, really, how many people affiliated with the white room had come to this school. There was Sakayanagi and Kouenji who only knew about the place, and Kushida, Kanzaki and I who had been there. Although, now that I think about it, it wasn't that strange. The white room produced generational talents. Even if I was the only one still in my generation, Kushida and Kanzaki were still far above average, which is why they'd been accepted into this school.

I felt sorry for them. Their parents had left them to the white room. My parents never "left" per se, but my father wasn't exactly a role model for what a parent should be. I never knew my mother, either. I hadn't even seen a picture of her before.

As I was walking along absentmindedly, I bumped into someone. That someone had an extremely soft chest, I noticed.

"Oh, Ayanokouji-kun. Hello, how are you?" Ichinose said to me, brushing the strawberry blond hair off of her face.

"Ah, I'm fine. Sorry for bumping into you." I apologised.

"Haha, don't be. It's probably fate, or something like that." She said.

"Fate? What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, when two people randomly bump into each other, it's usually considered to be the start of something good." She said.

"Ah, I see. Well, sorry to bother you, then." I said, walking off.

"Wait, Ayanokouji-kun...you don't look so good. Are you ok?" She asked.

What did she mean by that? I suppose it was probably due to the melancholy I had been feeling before.

"Oh, it's, umm...it's nothing. Just thinking about my parents, is all." I said. I wasn't exactly lying.

"Oh, do you miss them?" She asked.

"Well...not really. I don't miss my dad, and I never really knew my mother." I admitted.

"Oh, that's too bad. I never knew my father either. I suppose we're like two sides of a coin, eh, Ayanokouji-kun?" She managed to find the bright side of the situation, as always.

"Hah, I suppose you're right."

"Hm. Yes, well. It's been good talking to you, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll see you at the sports festival." She waved goodbye.

"Bye, Ichinose." I waved back.

I don't know why, but I felt a strange feeling whenever I was around Ichinose. It wasn't the same as love, I don't think. At least, not the same type of love I felt for Fuka. It was weird, like I had known her before. I don't think she was in the white room. I got the feeling that she was genuinely nice and happy, unlike Kushida. It was so strange, like I had a connection with her, but couldn't quite grasp it.

Flashback, unknown pov
My father had taken me to a new place. A "new environment" he called it. I didn't really know what that meant, but he took nii-san with me as well. I don't know where mom was, but I was excited to spend time with my dad. He was always away from home, and rarely came back to see us.

I looked to dad, and then to my twin brother. They both looked exactly the same. They both looked exactly the same. They had the same hair and eyes, and even the same bored expression.

We arrived at the place dad had mentioned. It was so cool. Everything was white. There were weird machines and windows everywhere, but I didn't care. It looked amazing. Me and nii-san could play here for hours. In one of the rooms, I saw that there were other children too. I could see a boy with violet hair, and a girl with crimson eyes. They both looked like they were having fun, playing with all the equipment and toys that were laid out for them.

We spent the rest of they day in there, with the other children. I was so tired by the end, I was practically half-asleep. I was directed to a small bedroom. It was really small, and didn't have much to it. There was a toilet and a shower there, as well as a bed, but not much else.

Just then, the door behind me opened. It was mom. That was weird, dad said we wouldn't be seeing her for a while. I leapt up to give her a big hug, and she scooped me up in her arms, whispering in my ear to stay quiet. I did as I was told.

She carried me out of the white playroom. Along the way, I saw the big men in black uniforms slumped on the floor. They must have been really tired too. I know I would be, if I had to stand up like that all day. I could see one man sleeping in a really weird position, though. Their neck was bent in a really weird shape. That looked painful.

She carried me all the way out, and put me in my car seat.

"Mom. What about nii-san?" I asked. I didn't want to be away from him for too long.

"I'm sorry, Honami. I couldn't find him. I could only find you. I'm sorry." She was crying as she started the car, which made me cry as well. I wouldn't ever see my brother again.

Until now.

Authors notes
1495 words.
Not much to say about this chapter really. Interpret this chapter however you will.
Hope you're all doing well and I hope you enjoyed.