The Unseen Experiment Ayanokoji x Reader

Ch.3 His game

Everyone was back in class, talking amongst themselves, discussing their plans for after class. Kushida walked up to Ayanokoji, her usual cheerful expression slightly more focused. "Ayanokoji, can I ask you something?" she asked, her tone light but probing.

"Sure," he replied, looking up from his desk.

"Are you and Horikita close? You seem to talk to her more than anyone else," Kushida asked, her curiosity evident.

Ayanokoji shook his head. "I wouldn't go that far. We've only exchanged a few words, if anything."

Kushida pouted slightly, a playful expression crossing her face. "Really? Because she's the only person I've ever really talked to here. I was hoping we could all be friends."

Ayanokoji remained indifferent, his expression unreadable. "I'm not interested," he said plainly, not swayed by Kushida's attempt to appear cutesy.

Back to the classroom

The teacher began her history lesson, her voice droning on about ancient civilizations. Some students were already dozing off, while others, like Horikita, Y/N, and Ayanokoji, sat quietly, their focus elsewhere.

Horikita leaned slightly towards Y/N and Ayanokoji, her voice low. "This school feels like a joke," she muttered, her annoyance barely concealed.

Y/N nodded in agreement. "It's almost like they want us to fail," she added, her eyes flicking towards Ayanokoji, who seemed to be lost in thought.

He glanced over at Y/N, his expression thoughtful. "Do you want to check out the big café after class?" he asked, his tone casual, but there was something more in his eyes, a glimmer of curiosity perhaps.

Y/N's POV:

Is he trying to go on a date with me or just trying to get to know me more? Why isn't he asking Horikita too? I wonder what he's really after. "Why do you specifically want me to go with you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes a bit.

He shrugged, his gaze steady. "The place gives off a 'no boys allowed' vibe because of the number of girls who hang out there. It'd be less weird if you were with me." Then he looked over to Horikita, "Would you like to join us?"

Horikita hesitated before agreeing with a simple, "Sure."

We all walked to the café together. The café was packed with girls, it gave a warm, cozy atmosphere, so it was no surprises that it was a popular spot for students. We found a table near the back, settling in as the buzz of conversation filled the air.

As we talked, I noticed Kushida walk towards us.  Horikita's expression immediately soured. "I'm leaving," she said abruptly, pushing her chair back and standing up. Her annoyance was palpable.

"Come on, it's just a coincidence. What do you mean?" Kushida asked, trying to sound innocent, but I could see the nervousness in her eyes. She was good, but not good enough to fool me.

Horikita gave her a withering look before walking out of the café, which left us in a kinda awkward silence

I turned to Kushida as I took a couple sips of my latte. "Kushida, I'll admit, it was a smart plan. But having people from Class D hanging around kind of gave it away. Unfortunate," I said, my tone smooth, almost teasing. Her expression faltered for a split second before she regained her composure.

After a few more awkward exchanges, Kushida eventually left, leaving just Ayanokoji and me walking back to our dorms. The conversation was minimal, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable.

Classes continued, and it became clear that most students were splurging their points without a second thought. The teacher never disciplined anyone for sleeping in class or for talking loudly, and I could see the cracks forming. Some students were struggling to focus, easily distracted by the chaos around them.

Then came May 1st, and with it, a wave of confusion and concern. I wasn't too concerned—I still had about 86,000 left. But I could sense the unease spreading throughout the room.

3rd Person POV:

The teacher entered the room, met with a barrage of questions about the points. She answered coldly, stating that the points reflected the class's performance, and they had done terribly. "You're worth nothing," she said bluntly, "so you get nothing." The harshness in her tone shocked some of the students. Kind of harsh of a teacher am I right? But that was the whole point of this school..to break people down and reshape them.

After the tense lesson, it was time for free time at the pool. The students were splashing around, enjoying the rare moment of relaxation. Ayanokoji sat by the pool's edge, observing the scene with a detached curiosity.

Y/N walked up and sat down next to him. "What are you doing?" she asked, her tone casual.

"Just watching everyone enjoy themselves," he replied while not taking his eyes off the crowd.

When the free period ended, the students walked back to class, and the teacher introduced them to the S system, revealing that Class D had 0 points. I guess you could say the reality of their situation began to sink in.  After the long grueling lecture about the system it was time for lunch.

Y/N and Ayanokoji sat together at lunch, a quiet conversation flowing between them.

Y/N's POV:

"Do you like the food, Ayanokoji?" I asked calmly, watching his expression closely. There was something about him—something I couldn't quite put my finger on. But I knew one thing: he wasn't someone to be underestimated. 

He paused for a moment, his chopsticks hovering just above his plate as if considering my question. "It's...good," he replied, his tone neutral. "Though I suppose it's not the food that really matters here."

I raised an eyebrow, a bit confused by his statement. "Then what does?"

Ayanokoji set down his chopsticks and met my gaze with an intensity that was almost unnerving. "The people you choose to eat with, for instance. They can tell you a lot about someone."

I felt a small smile tug at the corners of my lips. So, this was the game he wanted to play—a subtle little dance with words, where every sentence was layered with hidden meanings or it could all just mean nothing and I am just over analyzing it.... "Are you suggesting that the company matters more than the meal you are eating?"

"Something like that," he said, his eyes looked at me not leaving mine. "It's interesting, don't you think? The way people reveal themselves in such mundane settings. You can learn a lot about someone just by watching how they interact during something as simple as lunch."

His words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Was he trying to gauge something about me? Or perhaps he was hinting at something more about himself? Either way, I wasn't about to fall into whatever trap he was setting for me

"And what have you learned about me so far, Ayanokoji?" I asked, my tone light but my gaze sharp.

"Enough to know you're not as ordinary as you'd like people to believe," he said, his voice low, almost as if it were a secret. His gaze flickered to mine for a moment, searching, before he casually returned to his food, as if the conversation had been nothing more than idle chatter.

But those words hung in the air like a challenge. He knew more than he was letting on. A chill ran down my spine, and I couldn't help,but wonder just how much of me he had already unraveled—and how much I still needed to uncover about him.

"Anyway Horikita wants me to round up some 3 losers in the class to help them study so that Class D gets atleast some points when the exams pop up...so I should probably get going now.  It was good chatting with you y/n.  Maybe we can chat another time." The way he casually brushed off what he just stated...but how could someone know so much just by the way they eat?  I watched him clean up his plate of food and then walk away.