My elite romantic comedy is wrong, as I expected.

VOL 3 Chapter 11 Respect

Horikita POV

I'm with Ayanokouji -kun on the way to D class, after he sent two henchmen to provoke us we decided to get going.

When we arrived at the beach, only amazement remains.

It didn't look at all like a desert island ordeal, on the contrary, it really looked like a summer party. It is something unusual.

The henchmen from before recognize us and lead us to Ryuuen. He is lying on a chair as if he has no worries.

Ryuuen: Ohhh, but if it isn't Suzune, I thought you weren't going to accept my invitation.

Suzune: I see you're having a great time.

Ryuuen: Of course, who the hell would spend their summer vacation on a stupid test? Besides you heard the professor, the theme is about freedom, so there's no problem is making our time memorable.

He's not wrong, the professor said there would be no problem if we decided to barbecue or have a good time.

So does that mean Ryuuen-kun has dropped out of the exam? After all it wouldn't lead to negative results if he decides to spend all his points. Still I think there's something behind the curtains that I'm not seeing. But the facts tell me otherwise.

Suzune: A fitting answer for you. You don't like hard work.

Ryuuen: I hate hard work, patience, saving? You have to be stupid to walk in the same tune as the school.

Suzune: I feel like I'm wasting my time here.

Ryuuen: Come on Suzune, it doesn't hurt you to relax a little , you can have some fun, either eating meat or the jet ski, although if you prefer an entertainment with me, I can arrange a personal store.

Suzune: What a bad taste, by the way, one of your companions landed in our camp, anything to say?

Ryuuen: ahhhh, you mean Ibuki, she was dissatisfied with what we proposed, so all that was left was to give her a little punishment. She and another guy ran away with their tails between their legs.

Suzune: Don't you care about your classmates?

Ryuuen: If they get in my way I don't care about them, besides Suzune what about that stupid sympathy? Don't tell me you became just like Ichinose. I don't care what happens to her, you can leave her to her fate. She won't die after all.

Suzune: You're out of your mind, Ryuuen-kun. But this works in our favor, sink into your incapacity.

Ryuuen: Whatever, I do things my way, this way I'm not afraid to face someone. By the way, where is Hachiman-san?

This is weird again asking about him.
Suzune: I see you are quite interested in him.

Ryuuen: You can say it like that, but let me tell you something Suzune, take it as a warning, Hachiman-san is not someone you should mess with.

Suzune: Ryuuen-kun, this has crossed my mind several times, why are you calling him by name?

Also the respectful tone you have towards him, I find it curious.

Ryuuen: Kukuku, curious? Well, I'm in a good mood, so I'll tell you, it's a pact.

Suzune: A pact?

Ryuuen: Yes, people who know the Phantom Asura's real name must call it with respect. It's like an unwritten law in the minds of all delinquents.

Suzune: And why do you respect it?

Ryuuen: It's something inevitable, few people are capable of doing what he did, you know what I mean, don't you?

I have no idea at the moment, however I can't let him have his cards on the table, so I'm going to lie.

Suzune:You're right, I still leave a strong impression on you.

Ryuuen: It's normal, yet somehow his eyes are different, maybe it's just me,enough for today,I've given you enough of my time, go away I want to enjoy the sunshine. Ishisaki, give me a bottle of ice water, this heat is unbearable.

With that Ishisaki runs to a cooler in search of the drink. He gave us an interesting piece of information.

Different eyes? You mean he changed?
There's no point in inquiring about this, Hikigaya-kun promised to tell me, I have to wait for him, that's the duty of a friend, isn't it?

I want him to be my first real friend.

Somehow his existence makes me admire him, he overcame his weaknesses to become stronger, very different from me. That I just started to see what I lack.

Without realizing it his person became someone similar to my brother, I don't want to disappoint him when he has faith in me, it's quite complex. If he trusts me so much, then I have to become a leader who is able to lead the class like he has been doing.

As we walk towards the C class camp, I decide to ask Ayanokouji -kun, he has been very quiet since we were there, although he has always been quiet.

Suzune: What do you think about the self-destruction of class D?

He is quiet for a few moments.

Ayanokouji: It's a good thing for us, Ryuuen is a rambunctious person, if he was thinking of making a move just as shrewd as the attacks, it would complicate things quite a bit for us.

Suzune: Still, quitting from the beginning with a 0-point strategy was something I didn't think of him.

Ayanokouji: After all he has a complicated situation, that two students didn't pass the list daily that takes away quite a few points.

Suzune: So there's no point in saving points like we're doing. It still sounds bad to me, after what he put us through, I feel something stinks about the situation.

Ayanokouji: We'll see about that, if he continue with that lifestyle their points will be depleted in less than a day.

Suzune: That's true, with no points and a lot of time left to finish the test, it would be very difficult to make it.

Ayanokouji: By the way, do you think Hachiman's strategy is viable?

It's something I've been asking myself repeatedly, and I still don't know why he chose that method, it's one that only a person with screws loose would do.

Suzune: Not really, it's something very tiring and laborious for him, who is a person who likes his free time.

Ayanokouji: Maybe he has a reason to do it.

Suzune: Like what.

Ayanokouji: I don't know, I was waiting for you to tell me.

Suzune: *sigh* I have a guess, he's probably trying to get extra points to make up for the expense we're having and for Koenji-kun's retirement.

Ayanokouji:........I see, it makes sense.

I want to believe it too, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that he's overexerting himself , knowing that he can help more in camp. Even I've been tired, though it's due to the cold.

I'm a little impressed that Hikigaya-kun noticed my condition, I tried to hide it and apparently no one noticed, but he just by talking a little with me was able to identify it, pretending is not my thing.

Although I must admit that I was a bit glad when he worried about me and told me to take care of my health.

.................................... Why are these weird thoughts forming in my head?

Ayanokouji: Horikita, we are almost at the C class camp.

Horikita: That's right, according to Hikigaya -kun's indications, the C class has an admirable unity and teamwork, if possible I would like to learn a little from them.

Ayanokouji -kun looks at me a little surprised.

Suzune: What's wrong?

Ayanokouji:.......Nothing, I just thought it's out of character for you to say something like that.

Suzune: Is it weird?

Ayanokouji: No, it's just that you're starting to learn what it takes. So I'm a little relieved.

I don't know why heshould be relieved.
But I understand why he say this, before I thought I was better than all my classmates, now I understand that we all have our own abilities, I was arrogant, I hope to erase that arrogance with learning, that boy has had more influence than I thought on me.