Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 4 [Ryouta Rival]

- Part 2

I entered the computer room, which was being monitored by Ike-sensei. I guess he wasn't one of the five judges for the cooking competition.

"...this is certainly busy."

Since a lot of boys left the kitchen because they were useless in it, the computer room was pretty much packed full. However, due to a shortage of monitors available for everyone, most people were sharing a computer with the other people in their groups.

"I wonder where everyone else is..."

I looked around, trying to find Matsushita or Ikeda. Due to my crummy luck however, I ended up finding Machida first. It looked like he was browsing the stock market.

"Ehh, you're interested in this stuff?"

"Who the hell—"

Machida spun round, ready to knock me in the jaw, but stopped seeing it was me. He glared, standing up and clicking off the tab. In a rare moment, he looked genuinely embarrassed.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"...only for a couple of seconds. I just arrived."

"At least show yourself before speaking. God, you are braindead."

Machida sat down, instead searching up something about world news. I pulled up a seat and sat down next to him.

"What are you doing?"

"Sharing a computer with you. There's not enough to go around for everyone."

"Go share one with Matsushita-san. Can't you see I'm busy?"

"It's fine, I'm also interested in these topical events."

"Don't start acting buddy-buddy with me just because we're in the same group."

"Why are you so against people being friendly to you?"

I started noticing a pattern with Machida ever since this special exam began. He completely dismissed the idea of "friendship".

I first saw it when he declared all the members in his former faction were followers to him, even though they clearly saw Machida as a friend. Then, I saw it again when he blatantly refused Ikeda's attempts at getting closer with him earlier today.

And right now, he was doing it once more, but towards me with a cold shouldered attitude. I knew that Machida was someone who liked to keep his distance from others, but he wasn't the type to work alone. All his plans required other people to help him.

"I told you once before, didn't I?"

"Even if you don't need to be liked by others to achieve your goal, it doesn't mean you need to reject people's friendship outright."

"Friendship is a waste of time. I thought you of all people would get that much, at least."

"I don't think I'm a loner anymore..."

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about how people only become friends with others because they want something from them. Because you were worthless as a person, no one wanted to be friends with you. But now that you're the leader of the D Class dumbasses, everyone suddenly wants to cozy up to you and be your friend. Ever realised why?"

"...I mean, yeah. The obvious reason is they now respect me."

"That's a naive assumption. Open your eyes, Takanori-san. These people don't respect you. They're afraid of you."

"...afraid of me?"

"They see no value in you as an actual person. Your personality is as bland as milquetoast. The most interesting part about you is up here, in your twisted plans."