Motivated to be lazy

Chapter 46

A/N: Hello everyone... How's everybody doing? Did we all enjoy the latest volume? I know I did : D.

After reading the new volume, I decided to get off my lazy ass and write the last chapter of 4.5. From here on out it'll be the sports festival and there's going to be some pretty big canon divergences so I hope whatever this feeble mind comes up with will be good reading for you guys.

Hope you all enjoy it.

If you ask people around the school to describe me as a person I'm sure that you would receive many different characteristics depending on whom you speak to. Honami would say that I was sweet and cute, that smirking bastard would probably say something along the lines of annoying or sarcastic, others who I don't like would more than likely think I'm an asshole and then there would be others who would think that I'm cold and aloof.

All of these descriptions would be true to some extent, although I'd argue the cute part. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is not cute. Hell, I wouldn't even describe myself as sweet. That description is purely colored with rose-tinted glasses. I could pick my nose and Honami would think it was cute rather than disgusting.

Very few in this school have seen my charismatic side. It's only because I've never had to. Why should I uselessly charm those around me when being my usual normal self is adequate?

This time was different.

Unlike last night when it was an impromptu meeting where I wasn't expected to be there, most of it was spent with introductions and speaking with people I already knew. Hoshinomiya wanted me to transfer but she knew it was a long shot. Even if she wanted it to happen and hadn't given up on the possibility of making it a reality, she knew the chances were slim. There was a reason why she shadowed me the entire night, carefully watching my every move and more than likely ready to step in and hinder me at a moment's notice if necessary.

This time it would be more relaxed. This time I'd be able to probe them for information they probably wouldn't be as forthright with giving.

"Ah! Ayanokouji-kun is here already!"

Turning over my shoulder I was surprised to see a line-up I wasn't expecting. While Amikura Mako was one of the people invited, I wasn't expecting to see Eiichiro and Sudo following alongside her. While that was a surprise in and of itself, what was even more surprising was Eiichiro's physical state.

He was grinning sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. It didn't take long to notice the bruised cheek and busted lip though as I suddenly began to boil with rage.

Both Sudo and Mako recognized it instantly, both watching me cautiously as I got up from my seat and looked over Eiichiro's injuries who continued to grin without faltering.

"What happened to you?" I asked.

Eiichiro's grin morphed into a proud smile.

"I acted like a leader,"

"By having your head treated like a pinata?"

"You should see the other guy,"

"Who's the other guy?"

"None of your business," Eiichiro said firmly.

This bravado wasn't based on confidence, it was based on fear. He didn't have to say it for me to know, Eiichiro was worried about what I would do to whoever caused these injuries. It wasn't out of concern about Class Points either, our friendship transcended trivial things like that.

Inside the White Room things such as accolades and prizes were meaningless. Your accomplishments within that place were what mattered. Chess Rankings, Academic recognition. There wasn't any need for it, your greatest asset was obscurity. People not knowing what you were capable of, letting their guard down around you in order to infiltrate whatever agency you needed to in obscurity.