The Unseen Experiment Ayanokoji x Reader

Ch. 19 A dangerous Game

Y/n's pov:

It was the next day and I going to meet Kiyotaka.  The same one from before.  The usual hum of chattering filled the air.   I could not help but think about how different it felt today compared to last time of Karuizawa and her friends trying to meddle with things.  Or atleast I think they were behind it I am not entirely sure.  

I smirked at the idea.  They had no idea what they were really meddling with.  Today however it was just going to be me and Ayanokoji without any sort of interruptions, or atleast I hope so.  

Kiyotaka walked in with his usual calm demeanor.  He scanned the room for a moment and then his eyes landing on me.   He slid into the seat across from me without saying a word and placed his phone right on the table.  

We sat in silence for a moment.  It had been a while since we had any sort of conversation without the weight of other classmates trying to shape our dynamic.  

"Kushida is trying to get you expelled" he said expressionless

I blinked.  He was straight to the point, as usual.  I mean this is something I should of  expected but hearing it out loud made it all feel more...real.  I suppose? I thought he cared more about me, but the way he said it...made it sound like he did not even care.

"You are on her radar now..it seems she might be putting a bit of a pause on Horikita." he said to me interrupting my train of thought.  He must of heard this before the encounter I had with her and Ryuen otherwise she would not try to pull something like this on me.  

"You are a threat Y/n" he continued. his eyes meeting mine.  "She sees you as someone who could ruin her plans, just like Horikita." 

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms as I looked at him.  "And what about you? Are you just here to warn me, or do you have an ulterior motive Kiyotaka."

His gaze on me remained steady, "I wouldn't say that.  I think you are more than capable of handling this situation on your own." 

A smile tugged on the corner of my lips hearing him say that.  "You seem to think very highly of me."

His expression did not change but I feel like I saw a flicker of something behind those empty eyes of his.  Was it Amusement? No.  Maybe it was like recognition.  He knew I would not back down so easily.

We continued to chat, talking about recent events.  There was always like an unspoken tension between us, not in a romantic way, but something different. It was a level of understanding that we both were playing the same game but for different reasons.

"I need to use the bathroom for a moment" Ayanokoji said as he stood up. 

I nodded and watched him walk away.  My thoughts drifted back to Kushida.  She was always a wildcard with the way she is able to manipulate everyone with that sweet smile of hers.  It sickened me.

3rd person pov:

As Ayanokoji made his way down the narrow hallway towards the restroom.  To his surprise he sees Kushida just casually leaning against the wall as if she was just waiting for him.

"It is interesting, you know? she said with her voice dripping with that faux sweetness she would often use.  "How you care so much about some who is actively trying to get rid of you as we speak."

Ayanokoji's expression remained neutral, but on the inside her words felt like a sudden jolt up his spine.  He did not respond to her immediately.  The comment she said hung up in the air for a moment.  

"Let me try to remember her exact words...oh yes it was, 'And when Ayanokoji falls, I will be the one who pushed him' quite an interesting statement made by your dear y/n." Ayanokoji looked at Kushida with no words.  Kushida smiled, satisfied with his silence before leaving him to process her words

Ayanokoji was not used to being caught of guard, he realized something very important now: maybe Y/n's connection to him was more dangerous than he calculated it to be

Y/n pov:

When Ayanokoji returned to the table, it looked like something was off.  His calm facade was showing the smallest of cracks. 

"What is wrong?" I asked, raising a brow.

He stared at me before speaking. "What is your opinion of Kushida?"

I frowned at that question and was slighty taken aback by it. "Kushida..." I repeated  "She is  cunning and manipulative.  She hides behind a mask and likes to play innocent while pulling all the strings from gullible people"

He nodded as if he expected that sort of answer from me. "Do you trust her?"

"Trust her? What sort of question is that.  Of course I dont, especially when she has been targeting Horikita from the start." 

Ayanokoji leaned forward slightly, his eyes were searching for mine.  "And if she succeeds in getting you expelled?" 

"She wont" I said confidently, it seemed to settle something in him.  Whatever had happened while he was gone, Kushida managed to rattle him just a little.

"Why do you ask?" I said curiously, tilting my head

He seemed to hesitate for a second before answering, "She is trying to play her own game.  I will not let her win.  Not when it involves you"

The last part he said caught me a bit off guard.  I said before I wanted to expel Ayanokoji because I thought he was truly against me...and that Karuizawa girl just made my blood boil.  Yet here he was, indirectly saying that I mattered to him in some way.  Should I really take this as a compliment or one of his strategic moves.  I really should not let my guard down.

This moment felt like Deju vu: Flashback(Ch. 11 Unexpected Victory)

"And which would you prefer Ayanokoji? Teammate or enemy?" That is what I said to him.  I remember his exact response being "That Depends on how well you play this game of ours"

He had left me to contemplate his words.  He never gave me the full picture, it was for me to figure out on my own.   But now I am sitting here at the cafe, the game was still the same, but the pieces were moving in ways I did not anticipate.  I had always respected his intellect and admired the way he was able to handle almost anything that came at his way.

Now it felt more than that.  It felt personal actually.  I couldn't shake the thought that maybe he was playing me too?  The question I had asked him on the ship now felt more relevant than ever.  Teammate or enemy?  The more I tried to align ourselves it made me rethink...maybe our goals were not as similar as I thought.  

"Teammate or enemy?"

The answer was not clear-cut anymore. I should not trust him, not fully. If he was willing to manipulate the situation, to control the outcomes without considering the collateral damage, then maybe it was time I played a different role in this. A role that would give me the upper hand. A role that would end with him being the one expelled.

The game we had been playing was reaching its peak, but this time, I was not going to be just another piece on the board. I was done waiting for Ayanokoji to make his move. If anyone was going to pull the strings, it was going to be me.

"So then, whats the plan?..Kiyotaka?" I said leaning back in my chair.

A small imperceptible smile was showing on his lips.  "We play her game...and then we win."

I met his eyes once again, my voice was calm but firm.  "You're right...Kiyotaka.  We will play her game....and we will win."

This time I was not just talking about Kushida.  I was talking about him too. 

Because in the end, if anyone was going to come out on top, it would not be Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, it would be me.