Ayanokouji What If: Popularity Time

V3 Chapter 9: Do Gamblers Think Of Their Sins?

Kiyotaka Pov
"Kiyotaka, are you really gonna go?"asked Akito for the 20th time.

It had been a few hours since we had first received the message, and now the time for my departure was drawing near.  As of now, I was sitting with the Ayanokouji group, and they were all trying to dissuade me from going to the meeting place.

Obviously, I was going to go.  If this was an important meeting from another class then I shouldn't pass it up.  This may also be an opportunity to gain further insight into the other classes and their current conditions.  I already had a suspicion of who it was.

"Of course I'm going, they specifically called me out."I answered.

Keisei shook his head, "they called for the representative though, they specifically say representative, not a name.  You don't have to go, I can go."

"Yeah, please Kiyopon don't go!"

Haruka put her hands together and shook them rapidly.  Ken grabbed her hand shoulder and stopped her shaking.

"Ken-Kun...w-why are you so quiet?"silently spoke Airi.  She stared at him out of the corner of her eyes while facing the ground. 

"Well,"he started before pausing, "I think it's useless to try and get him not to go."

"Huuuuh?!  Are you crazy?!"shouted Haruka. 

"No, I just believe in Taka,"said Ken nonchalantly, "and if you don't believe him I can't convince you."

I stayed silent throughout this exchange and watched as Ken advocated for me.  Thought it was a losing battle as Keisei, Haruka, and Akito was so vehemently against sending me, or in their eyes, sacrificing me.  Airi seemed to understand Ken and I but was too timid to put herself out there.  Maybe her calling Ken out was her understanding he agreed with me.

I looked at her and we locked eyes.  At first her eyes darted away but they quickly went back to meet my gaze again.  I spoke then, interrupting the conversation, "I'm going to the bathroom, be right back."

The three of them nodded but Keisei looked quite skeptical. 

"Are you really going to the bathroom,"Keisei said, "or are you just going to go to the meeting."

"If that's what you want to assume,"I said, "but you wouldn't stop me either, would you?"

"..."

He glared at me but I didn't acknowledge it.

"Kiyopon, you can sometimes be so cold, you know that?"said Haruka.  Her voice sounded like she was accusing me of something.  At this point though, I was already walking away from the group and to the toilet the class had bought.

I noticed the line for the toilet was rather short, so I took my place at the back of the line.  Ike was in front of me and when he noticed me behind him, he turned around and looked at me.

"Ayanokouji you're kidding about going right?"laughed Ike. 

I shook my head, "no, I'm going to meet the person."

"But what if it's one of those psychos from Class A coming to get revenge!"

"If they try anything I'll make sure to stay near the pads so everything is recorded,"I continued, "besides I'm confident enough in my fighting abilities."

Ike grumbled, "that's stupid..."

The line moved up one person.

"I can't convince you to believe it's not stupid, but I can tell you to believe in me if you wish."