Ayanokouji What If: Popularity Time

V9 Chapter 3: Brewing Storm

                         Kiyotaka Pov

It had been a couple of days after Kikyo's birthday party, and now it was the first day of February. February was the month of many things, the last month of winter and multiple holidays to be exact.

The most important and most widely known holiday is Valentine's Day. This day is dedicated to girls giving members of the opposite sex chocolates as thank yous or even confessions to the person who received it.

This holiday also has a follow-up, that being White Day, when the boys give chocolates to all the girls who gave them chocolate.

Over the course if the days between February 14th, Valentine's Day, and March 14th, White Day, you might end up hearing rumors about new couples springing up here and there.

Most people wouldn't expect a new type of rumor to spring up in its stead.

I was talking to Hirata and Karuizawa, who I noticed had become closer ever since the previous exam. At the training camp or shortly following it, the two must have made up, though I have not received any official news from either of them.

Karuizawa was standing directly next to Hirata which contrasted how before she stayed multiple people away to emphasize the divide between the pair at that time. Now, she seemed comfortable reclaiming her spot directly next to the boy as if it were her second nature.

We were talking leisurely when suddenly a voice from behind me interrupted us, "Ayanokouji-Kun, a word please."

When I turned around, I was greeted by the face of Horikita Suzune. She wore a rather reluctant expression as I smiled at her.

"Sure Horikita, what did you need?"

"I was wondering if we could speak privately for a moment?" Her eyes landed on Karuizawa and Hirata behind me and she continued, "I won't take too much of your time."

Behind me Hirata spoke, "It's ok Horikita-San, you can have Ayanokouji-Kun for as long as you need him."

Karuizawa nodded, glancing at her phone screen before shoving it back into the pocket of her skirt, "Totally fine with me."

With their verbal consent, I followed shortly after Horikita, who led me out into the hall. Wordlessly, she led me further out until we were by an unoccupied staircase. I recall only going up this staircase once or twice because it leads to a section of the school building specifically meant for small science labs that didn't require being held in one of the Special Annexes.

"What did you want to talk about?" I finally asked when we came to a stop beside the stairs.

Horikita took out her notebook, and held it towards me, "Read what I have written down in there."

I took the notebook from her and began to read. It was on lined paper, and the words were written in pencil, yet they had a special significance to them.

Rumors:

Ichinose-San has a history of violence, drug abuse, stealing, and prostitution.

That's quite a cocktail of illegal acts written down here. I had heard of the rumor of drug abuse, but the other three.

Rumors usually are concocted to hurt or defame somebody, however most of them aren't based entirely in a lie, but instead have a drop of truth to them.

Spreading rumors about the leader of the most unified class in our year would have no benefits because of her actions.

If these rumors were spread about somebody like Ryuen, two of these would be easy to believe while one is outright proven to be true. With Ichinose no mere rumor could successfully target her without having an inkling of truth to it.