KiyotakaxOC- A New Life In Classroom Of The Elite: Ayaki 's Quest For Change

Chapter 24- Us

Ayaki was calmly walking across the campus, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere after the recent events that had shaken Class D. As she wandered aimlessly, she spotted three familiar figures nearby: Sakura, Ichinose, and... Ayanokoji. Her curiosity was piqued immediately. She knew, thanks to her knowledge from the Light Novel, that Sakura had gone through a tough time after Sudo's trial, especially because of harassment from a perverted fan who was obsessed with her secret identity as an idol. That ordeal had caused Sakura to develop feelings for Ayanokoji, who had helped her out several times.

As the small group approached, Ayaki suddenly felt an urge to act. Without thinking further, she broke into a run toward them. She rushed directly to Sakura and, without any warning, wrapped her arms around her in a warm hug.

- "Sakura!" she exclaimed softly, full of compassion. "I'm so sorry for everything you had to go through."

Sakura jumped in surprise, clearly caught off guard by the sudden embrace. She immediately blushed, feeling embarrassed by this unexpected display of affection.

- "A-Ayaki..." she mumbled shyly, both confused and surprised. "What are you...?"

Ichinose, standing nearby, looked puzzled, watching the scene unfold with a mix of curiosity and confusion. She exchanged a glance with Ayanokoji, who remained as calm and unreadable as ever. Finally, he broke the silence.

- "What are you talking about, Ayaki?" he asked in his usual calm tone, his eyes focused on her, analyzing her carefully.

Realizing she might have revealed too much, Ayaki slowly released Sakura and turned toward Ayanokoji with a mischievous smile. There was no way she could explain how she knew about Sakura's secret identity or the ordeal she'd been through-it wasn't something she could easily reveal.

- "Oh, nothing important, Ayanokoji-kun," she replied playfully. "Let's just say... I have a very strong intuition."

She then leaned closer to Sakura and whispered softly in her ear:

- "Good luck with everything. I know it must've been difficult."

Sakura's blush deepened, her eyes dropping as she avoided making eye contact with Ayanokoji. She knew exactly what Ayaki was referring to, but she wasn't ready to discuss it openly. Feeling satisfied with her small intervention, Ayaki straightened up, and in a more cheerful voice, said:

- "Hey, why don't we all hang out together? It's such a nice day, and it'd be fun to spend some time together on campus."

Ichinose, still a bit confused by what had just happened, quickly flashed her usual friendly smile.

- "Oh, that sounds fun! I don't have any plans this afternoon, so why not?" She then looked at Ayanokoji for his opinion. "What do you think, Ayanokoji-kun?"

Ayanokoji shrugged slightly, his expression as indifferent as ever.

- "I don't mind."

Sakura, although still feeling a bit uncomfortable from Ayaki's sudden attention, nodded hesitantly.

- "Yes... that works for me too."

Pleased with their agreement, Ayaki smiled and began leading them toward the central park of the campus. The four of them walked together, discussing lighthearted topics. As always, Ichinose, with her social nature, led the conversation with enthusiasm, while Ayanokoji stayed quiet, observing the others in his usual calm manner. Sakura kept close to him, still shy but glad to be in his company.

- "Have you guys noticed how beautiful the campus looks this time of year?" Ichinose asked, glancing around. "The leaves are starting to change colors. It's really lovely."