COTE: Someone Extraordinary (Kiyotaka x Honami)

Arc 1 Chapter 2: The Club Fair

Part 1

On our second day of school, we spent most of our time going over the course objectives and other annoying admin work. Many of the students were surprised by how friendly and warm our teachers were acting, maybe assuming that they would have been more solemn or intimidating. Most of my class paid attention and were scribbling down notes, but some thought it necessary to whisper to one another and sneak a peek at their phones every once in a while. I was sure the teachers would reprimand them. They weren't even being especially discrete about it, but none of the teachers showed any signs of doing so. I guess they took the view that it was up to the students to listen during class and it was their loss if they refused to listen. Did all high school teachers take this view? Is this how they interacted with students when they weren't in compulsory education?

I made it through this morning's classes, and soon it was lunchtime. Students gradually stood up and left with their new friends and acquaintances, most likely heading for the cafeteria. I couldn't help but feel envious as I watched them go. Despite hanging out a little bit with Ichinose yesterday, I didn't have it in me to go join her for lunch, that being because she had almost a third of the class asking her the exact same thing. "She really is popular," I murmured.

So excluding Ichinose, I still hadn't managed to befriend a single one of my new classmates. I saw Ichinose leave the classroom with around ten other people. She looked over at me and her face turned a little bit sad before she was shepherded out of the classroom by her entourage. Looks like she was the only person who realised the way I felt.

"How pathetic."

Scratch that, two people had noticed, and this particular person met my pain with pitiless laughter.

"What? What's pathetic?" I asked.

"You're practically begging for someone to invite you along for lunch. It's written all over your face." Himeno said scathingly.

"Is it?"

"It is. I wouldn't keep your hopes up, Ichinose seems to be the one getting all the attention."

She wasn't wrong. Most people had gone off with or followed Ichinose from a distance. I almost wanted to do the same and follow her large group in the hope of getting invited in. However, that would seem lame, and the girls might think I was some sort of creep.

Before I could say anything more, Himeno walked off, joining up with a couple of her own friends. It seemed like even stuck-up girls like herself could make a couple of friends. Hopefully, the ability to make friends extends to me as well.

Reluctantly, I got up and decided to head toward the cafeteria on my lonesome. If I couldn't muster up the courage to eat alone in there, or if by some miracle somebody offered to sit and eat with me, I'd have to get something from the convenience store instead.

"Ayanokoji-kun!"

On the way out, a beautiful girl suddenly called out my name. I recalled from yesterday's introductions that her name was Amikura Mako. I hadn't gotten a good look at her until now, and it made my heart pound in my chest. She had long, dark blue hair, tied up in a ponytail. While it wasn't inappropriate, the school had approved kinda short skirt lengths. I had a feeling she was wearing one of the more recent uniforms, that complimented her well-proportioned figure.

"I'm Amikura Mako, do you remember me?" she asked.

There was a group of four other girls from our class waiting about half a dozen meters behind her, smiling at the pair of us. They were probably her friends.

"Yeah I remember you, do you need something?"

"Forgive me if I'm getting this wrong but..." she said trailing off looking downwards.