However, aside from that, Horikita had never cared about the interpersonal relationships of those around her; he certainly wasn't an exception.
"I've noticed that you've been acting differently with her lately."
"If you came here to question me about my relationship with Kei..."
"That's not the only reason I'm here..."
As soon as they heard Horikita's last sentence, some of the spectators started changing their expressions, sensing the tension in the air.
Kei, who had been watching the screen in silence, felt a shiver run down her spine.
"What... what else does she want to talk to him about?"
She murmured to herself, her mind filling with insecurities.
Sato frowned slightly, leaning forward.
"She doesn't seem to be there just to give advice..."
Kushida, already enjoying the whole situation, hid a smile behind her hand.
"Could it be that Horikita is trying to steal Karuizawa's boyfriend?"
She whispered to herself, barely containing a laugh.
Ryuuen raised an eyebrow, still wearing a mischievous grin.
"Hah... now this is getting interesting. What do you really want, Horikita?"
Sakayanagi, unlike the others, seemed more analytical, observing every detail calmly.
"She doesn't seem to be doing this out of pure romantic interest. Maybe... there's something more behind it?"
Ichinose bit her lower lip, trying to interpret the situation.
"Does Horikita really care about Ayanokouji that much? Or does she have a bigger reason for being there?"
Ayanokouji, who had remained silent until then, looked at Horikita beside him in the reaction room.
"Do you remember the reason for this? Or do you have any speculation?"
Horikita crossed her arms and sighed softly.
"I have no idea... but I'm sure it won't be for a reason as simple as it seems."
Kei clenched her fists slightly.
"But why in his room? If it were just to talk about my relationship, couldn't they do it somewhere else?"
Ryuuen smirked widely upon hearing Kei's uneasy words. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with pure amusement.
"Tsk, tsk... So you are worried, huh, Karuizawa?"
Kei frowned, crossing her arms tightly.
"I'm not worried!"
But her voice came out slightly louder and faster than she would have liked, betraying her tension.
Ryuuen chuckled lowly, savoring every second of the situation.
"Have you ever considered that maybe Horikita is there because she wants him for herself?"
Kei widened her eyes for a moment before quickly denying it.
"D-Don't be ridiculous! Horikita doesn't like Kiyotaka!"
"Hoh... and how can you be so sure?"
Ryuuen's grin widened even more as he saw Kei biting her lip slightly, as if she didn't have a solid answer.
Horikita sighed lightly, running a hand through her hair.
"Don't be childish, Ryuuen."
"Hah? You're blushing now, Horikita? Looks like I hit a nerve."
He teased with a tone full of irony.
Horikita kept a firm expression but averted her gaze momentarily, as if processing something.
Ayanokouji, beside her, observed her closely, noticing her slight hesitation.
"Horikita..."
He called her name calmly, but she just took a deep breath and ignored it, turning back to the screen.
Kushida held back a laugh, covering her mouth.
"So, does that mean we have a love triangle now?"
Ichinose furrowed her brows, looking at Horikita.
"Is that even possible?"
Sakayanagi gave a slight smile, resting her face on her hand.
"If it's true... this drama will be more fun than I expected."
Kei tried to ignore the comments, but her heart was beating faster.
"No... There's no way Horikita likes Kiyotaka... Right?"
She tried to convince herself, but doubt was beginning to grow in her mind.
Kei was silent for a few seconds, waiting for a response. Her eyes were fixed on the screen as if she was ready to contest any flimsy excuse.
Ayanokouji, with his usual serene expression, replied casually:
"My relationship with Horikita has always been purely platonic. We're just friends."
Kei looked at Kiyotaka, carefully evaluating every word.
Horikita nodded lightly in agreement and added:
"Ayanokouji is right. We've always been just friends. Of course, in the beginning of our first year, there were rumors that we were dating..."
She let out a small sigh as if recalling that period.
"...But they were just rumors. In the end, we were just two isolated people at the start of the year who didn't talk to anyone. So, it makes sense that they thought that."
Ayanokouji mentally revisited some moments when he had joked about the subject, insinuating they looked like a couple.
("If I mentioned those jokes now, it would probably only make things worse...")
He decided to keep that thought to himself.
Kei listened carefully to everything and, in the end, sighed softly, feeling a slight relief.
"Hmph... Well, if you guys are saying so..."
But even relieved, something inside her still felt a bit unsettled.
Ryuuen raised an eyebrow, analyzing the scene with a smirk.
"Oh? What a convenient answer. But, Karuizawa, do you really believe that so easily?"
Kei shot an irritated look at him.
"If he says there's nothing, then there's nothing, okay?"
Kushida hid a mischievous smile behind her hand.
"It's funny how you seem to be trying to convince yourself of that too, Kei-chan."
Kei snorted, crossing her arms and looking away, irritated by the provocation.
Ichinose looked at Horikita with curious eyes.
"You really never felt anything for Ayanokouji-kun?"
Horikita looked directly at Ichinose, maintaining her firm posture.
"No."
Her response was direct and objective, without hesitation.
—Ai.— Ayanokouji thought, placing his hand on his chest.
Sakayanagi chuckled softly, wanting to provoke Kei.
"How disappointing. A forbidden romance would have been much more interesting."
"But of course, if she were with me, it would be way more interesting." — This was Sakayanagi's thought.
Kei rolled her eyes, but deep down, she felt a little more secure... at least for now.
With surprising ease, the black-haired girl straightened up completely. She walked calmly and elegantly, arms crossed under her chest, approaching the brown-haired boy. She was plotting something... She continued to close the distance between them—three meters, two meters. Each step she took seemed to increase an invisible tension between them. She stopped just a few centimeters from the boy's face. They were so close they could feel each other's breath, and the look of what seemed to be desire emanating from her half-closed eyes left Kiyotaka hypnotized by her beauty. It seemed as if they were both lost in each other's eyes.
Horikita Suzune, a student who could be categorized as brilliant but somewhat antisocial, had always shown a reserved character. This behavior was very unusual for her. Still, anyone who knew her even a little would understand that she would never act like this with just any man.
What could have happened to her to make her act like this? Kiyotaka had no idea how to respond to that.
The room plunged into a tense silence as the scene unfolded on the screen.
Kei froze in place, her eyes wide with concern. Her heart began to race, and an evident expression of jealousy overtook her face.
"WHAT IS THIS?!" she exploded, glaring furiously at Ayanokouji. "Why is Horikita so close to you?! AND WHY AREN'T YOU PUSHING HER AWAY?!"
Ryuuen laughed loudly, enjoying the situation.
"Kuku... This is getting better. Looks like Karuizawa is really freaking out about this."
Horikita in the present blushed violently when she saw her future self approaching Ayanokouji so boldly.
"W-What...?! Did I DO THAT?!" She didn't expect to see herself acting so differently from usual.
Ayanokouji looked at the screen with slightly more interest than usual. He hadn't expected Horikita to take such an unexpected step, especially with that intense look.
Sato furrowed her brows, looking worriedly at Kei and then casting a slightly irritated glance at Ayanokouji.
"Kiyotaka... What the hell are you doing in that future?!"
Ichinose kept her smile, but inside, she felt a wave of jealousy and irritation rising.
("No, no, no... this isn't right. I should be the one with him, not someone else!")
Sakayanagi chuckled softly, always ready to provoke.
"Fufufu... What a fascinating scene. Looks like our dear Ayanokouji-kun is a very naughty boy, making Karuizawa suffer like this."
Kei gritted her teeth and crossed her arms, sulking.
"This is not funny at all!"
Ichika observed the scene and let out a light laugh, full of provocation.
"Oh? Looks like my dear senpai is being quite bold on screen..." She threw a teasing look at Kei. "...Just to provoke Karuizawa."
Kei immediately shot a glare at Ichika, but she couldn't retort.
Horikita blushed even more, looking away.
"I'm not provoking anyone!"
Kei could no longer hold back her frustration. Her eyes were filled with fury and jealousy as she turned abruptly to Horikita in the present, pointing an accusing finger at her.
"Then EXPLAIN, HORIKITA! WHAT EXACTLY WERE YOU DOING IN THE FUTURE WITH KIYOTAKA?!"
She clenched her fists, her voice full of indignation.
"Because THIS is not something friends do!"
The tension in the room increased even further.
Horikita was still blushing from seeing her own behavior on the screen, but she furrowed her brows when she heard Kei's accusation.
"C-Calm down, Karuizawa... I want to understand this too!" She quickly defended herself, trying to sound firmer.
"Because, honestly, I don't even know what I was thinking in the future!"
Ryuuen laughed again, clearly finding it all hilarious.
"Kuku... This is getting better. Looks like Karuizawa is desperate to protect her boyfriend."
Kei glared at Ryuuen in anger but quickly turned her focus back to Horikita.
Sato was still with her arms crossed, looking seriously at Ayanokouji.
"Kiyotaka, do you have any explanation for this? Because it looks like you didn't try to stop anything..."
Ichinose was growing more and more impatient.
("This shouldn't be happening! I should be the one with him!")
Sakayanagi smiled, tilting her head slightly.
"Fufufu... So, Horikita-san, could you clarify this for us? Or perhaps Ayanokouji-kun would prefer to answer?"
Ayanokouji sighed softly, keeping his calm expression.
"There's not much to explain. We're still watching the scene, and we don't know the full context yet. So far, nothing really impactful has happened that's worth discussing. Let's wait and see what happens next, and then we can talk about something we have a full context for."
Ichika smirked, taking advantage of the situation to tease even more.
"Then it's better to keep watching... right, Kei-senpai?"
Kei huffed, crossing her arms and looking at the screen again, still furious.
"This still isn't explained..."
The atmosphere in the room was tense, and everyone was even more focused on what would happen next.
Without saying a word, Horikita moved her face away from Kiyotaka's and began to move further into his room. The brown-haired boy did the first thing that came to his mind. He tried to pretend like it never happened—or at least he tried—if it weren't for his elevated heart rate... it was one of the few times he remembered feeling like this, and curiously, the other times were also because of the girl who was now in his room. What had Horikita Suzune done to him?
But did it matter?
"Stay right there!" Kiyotaka ordered seriously, turning to face her. "If you refuse, you'll regret it..."
"Yes, maybe I will..." Suzune replied.
The silence in the room was broken by the sound of heavy breathing.
"HAAAH?!" Kei exclaimed, completely outraged.
She jumped up, her eyes wide and fixed on the screen. Her expression alternated between anger, jealousy, and disbelief.
"WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE FUTURE, HORIKITA?!"
Horikita froze, blushing intensely as she saw her future self saying she would regret it. She felt like something very important was being debated, and her heart was racing.
"I-I don't know!" She quickly retorted, looking away.
"How can you not know?! Even your future self admitted that she would regret something!" Kei insisted, pointing furiously at the screen. "Look! You're all... all..."
She couldn't even finish her sentence, so angry she was.
Ryuuen chuckled softly, clearly enjoying himself.
"Kuku... Karuizawa, you really are thick-headed, huh? It's clear that this one," he pointed to the blushing Horikita, "wants to steal your man."
"What the hell is this, Ryuuen?! Shut up!" Horikita shouted, blushing and losing her composure.
Sakayanagi smiled provocatively, tilting his head slightly.
"Fufu... Well, Horikita-san, it seems like your heart finally spoke louder, didn't it? You spent the entire first year trying to deny it, but in the end..."
"That's not it at all!" Horikita interrupted, her face turning even redder. "I've never seen Ayanokouji like that!"
She looked directly at Kei, trying to appear firm, even though her flushed cheeks betrayed what she was feeling.
"Ayanokouji and I have always been just friends! If something happens in the future, there must be an explanation! We've never done anything romantic!"
"That's a bit of a lie, he/I definitely did/did some couple-like things." Ryota and Ayanokouji thought calmly as they listened to Horikita's words.
"Explanation?" Kei scoffed. "You're practically throwing yourself at him, and that phrase about not regretting it, what does that mean?!"
Ayanokouji observed the screen calmly, already accepting his inevitable fate.
("This is getting worse.")
Kei then turned her attention to him, now even angrier.
"AND YOU?!" She pointed at her boyfriend. "WHY DIDN'T YOU PUSH HER AWAY?!"
Ayanokouji kept his neutral expression but responded directly.
"Horikita and I have a purely platonic relationship. I never saw her like that, and she never saw me that way, so my future self must be trying to understand why Horikita is acting this way."
"Then EXPLAIN THAT SCENE ON THE SCREEN, YOU IDIOT!"
"Probably, I was just trying to understand why she was acting like that and prevent her from pulling away, encouraging her to finish what she wants to do, which will help me understand why she's acting this way."
"UNDERSTAND WHY?!" Kei nearly exploded. "You should have PUSHED HER AWAY! NOT DO THIS EXPERIMENT OUT OF CURIOSITY!"
Ichika laughed softly, looking at Horikita with an amused expression.
"Heh, Senpai... I didn't know you had this bold side."
"I DON'T!" Horikita yelled, completely red-faced.
She knew it was a lie, but she wasn't going to let anyone know.
Sato looked at Kei with concern and then cast a disapproving look at Ayanokouji.
"Kiyotaka... seriously? You just stood there while this happened?"
"If it happened, it's because I wanted to understand the situation first before reacting. I've already explained my reasons."
"That sounds like an excuse!" Kei snapped.
Ichinose watched everything silently, but internally, she was furious.
("This shouldn't be happening! Ayanokouji should be WITH ME!")
"Honami?" Mako-chan thought, looking at her best friend with concern, sensing a slight aura of danger.
Sakayanagi laughed softly, tilting his head with a mischievous smile.
"Fufu... Kiyotaka-kun, you really are a bad boy. Without lifting a finger, you're stealing the hearts of so many girls."
Ayanokouji sighed inwardly.
("If this keeps going, I'm really going to end up single.")
"Brother, we're not even halfway through the chapter, and you're almost single, you might even be single before the end of this chapter." Ryota calmly thought while playing Pokémon, reading Ayanokouji's thoughts.
Sudou stared at the screen, completely surprised.
("Suzune... what happened to you?")
He had a slight suspicion but decided to keep it to himself.
Kei crossed her arms, looking furiously at the screen.
She responded as she turned and stood firm in front of him. This surprised the brown-haired boy; Horikita Suzune was acting very unusually. He had already noticed a change in her behavior towards him. In fact, it was Kiyotaka himself who suggested spending more time together, just for the pleasure of her company. Even he didn't know why he suggested that, but he couldn't deny that he enjoyed the time with the girl with black hair, a sharp contrast to his first days at school. Still, he felt a pang of guilt for having such a beautiful girl as Suzune in his room at this hour, without his girlfriend knowing.
"WHAT?!" She looked directly at Ayanokouji, her eyes filled with anger and disbelief. "Since when have you been asking Horikita to spend more time with you?!"
Ayanokouji sighed lightly, as if he already expected this reaction.
"Soon after we made Class A come last in the exam."
Kei's eyes widened.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
"It was about two months ago." He added calmly.
At that moment, Horikita blushed softly, lowering her head slightly as she remembered the conversation.
("Ah... he's referring to the time we met in the morning...")
Horikita felt her face heat up even more.
"I... remember that conversation." She admitted, not looking directly at anyone.
Kei was getting more and more incredulous.
"AND YOU AGREED?!" She screamed, pointing directly at Horikita.
The brunette straightened her posture, still blushing, and responded hesitantly.
"W-Who's to say there's anything wrong with that?" She asked, stammering slightly. "A friend wanting to spend more time with their friend without involving school... isn't that normal?"
Kei was even more angry.
"NORMAL?!" She repeated, frustration evident in her voice. "You have the guts to say that with a straight face?!"
Inside, Horikita felt a slight irritation building up.
("This girl...")
She clenched her fists slightly.
("She's being so possessive over Ayanokouji.")
Ryuuen chuckled quietly, watching the tension rise.
"Kuku... This is getting good. So Ayanokouji went after Horikita on his own, huh?"
Sakayanagi smiled, tilting his head slightly.
"Fufu... Kiyotaka-kun, you really are an enigma. Seeking someone's company without a strategic goal... well, well, how interesting."
Ichika looked directly at Horikita.
"Senpai... you're not hiding anything, right?"
Horikita looked away, still with a slightly flushed face.
"It's nothing. I just... agreed to his proposal."
Kei clenched her fists, clearly furious.
"Aren't you ashamed?!"
Ayanokouji watched the exchange in silence.
("This is getting worse.")
Kei pointed forcefully at the screen.
"IS THIS JUST A FRIENDSHIP THEN?!"
Horikita stood firm, even though her heart was beating faster than she'd like.
"I don't see any problem with it."
Kei continued to look at Horikita in disbelief, feeling her blood boil.
"Are you serious?!" She screamed, pointing at the screen. "YOU REALLY THINK THERE'S NOTHING WRONG?!"
Horikita stayed firm, crossing her arms and staring directly at Kei.
"And is there?" She retorted, raising an eyebrow while struggling not to blush. "Ayanokouji and I just spent more time together. Does that mean anything?"
Kei's eyes widened, shocked by the audacity of the girl.
"OF COURSE IT DOES!" She shot back. "You've got a lot of nerve, you know?!"
"I'm just being honest." Horikita responded, maintaining a calm tone, though feeling a growing irritation.
Kei turned abruptly to Ayanokouji, clearly expecting an explanation.
"AND YOU?!" She asked, crossing her arms. "AREN'T YOU GOING TO SAY ANYTHING?!"
Ayanokouji sighed deeply and rolled his eyes slightly.
("This is starting to irritate me.")
He maintained his indifferent posture but responded clearly and directly.
"I never had any romantic interaction with Horikita."
Kei narrowed her eyes.
"Hah?! So what's that on the screen?!"
"Nothing." Ayanokouji replied with the same calmness. "We've never done anything romantic or sexual with each other, and nothing of that level has happened on the screen, and I doubt anything like that will happen."
"You and I both know that's a lie." Ryota thought calmly, looking at Ayanokouji.
Kei clenched her fists, still not fully convinced.
"So you're telling me you wanted to spend more time with her just because?"
"Yes."
Horikita glanced at Kei from the corner of her eye.
"You make it sound like it's something strange."
"And isn't it?!" Kei snapped.
"Ayanokouji-kun and I are just friends. We just wanted to spend more time together as friends, without involving school. So no, it's not something strange." Horikita spoke, slightly flushed, looking seriously at Kei.
At this moment, Ryuuen, Sakayanagi, and Ryota were enjoying every second of the chaos.
Ryota discreetly pulled a bucket of popcorn from who knows where and tossed a little to Ryuuen and Sakayanagi.
"It's from a rift in space-time in the destroyed fabric of reality." Ryota calmly replied to the narrator.
"Here, enjoy."
Ryuuen grabbed a handful and laughed.
"Kuku... This is better than any school test."
Sakayanagi bit a piece of popcorn and smiled softly.
"Fufu... Kiyotaka-kun, you really know how to make the atmosphere tense."
Ichika observed everything with her arms crossed, a slight provocative smile on her lips.
"Senpai is being pretty bold, huh? Who would've thought."
Horikita shot an irritated glance at Ichika.
"I didn't do anything wrong! I just wanted to spend time with my friend!"
Sudo was surprised, staring at the screen and at Horikita in the theater. He didn't expect to see Horikita like this.
("This... this isn't normal.")
Across the room, Manabu, Horikita's older brother, watched everything calmly, his serious, expressionless gaze unchanged.
Inside, however...
("Hmph. I can already guess what's going to happen on screen. I'm proud, Suzune, go find Kiyotaka and bring him to the Horikita family!")
His eyes briefly glimmered with this thought.
Kei pressed her lips together, still unsatisfied.
"Alright, alright... but you still haven't explained why you wanted to spend more time with her."
Ayanokouji looked directly at Kei and responded, slightly irritated at having to answer the same question again.
"Because I wanted to, and because we're friends, I've said this multiple times."
Silence filled the room.
Kei seemed ready to explode.
Ryuuen almost choked on his popcorn.
Sakayanagi smiled even more.
Ryota ate another handful and laughed.
"And he still manages to say that with a straight face... incredible."
Kei finally couldn't take it anymore and shouted in frustration.
"KIYOTAKA, YOU IDIOT!!!"
Ayanokouji sighed deeply, rolling his eyes slightly.
"Kei, what exactly is wrong with me wanting to spend more time with my friend without involving school exams?"
Kei looked at him in disbelief, frowning with anger.
"You really don't get it?!" She yelled. "You're already dating someone, Kiyotaka! It's not normal to want to spend more time ALONE with another girl!"
Ayanokouji was silent for a moment, analyzing her reaction.
"So I can't have female friends?"
Kei clenched her fists.
"That's not it! You know that's not it!"
"Then what's the problem?" Ayanokouji insisted.
"THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS ISN'T SOMETHING A BOYFRIEND DOES!"
Horikita crossed her arms and intervened, still with a slight blush on her face.
"Kei, you're exaggerating."
"Exaggerating?!" Kei let out an ironic laugh. "So, you think it's normal for a guy who already has a girlfriend to want to spend more time with another girl?"
"If they're friends, yes." Horikita answered, maintaining her composure.
Kei narrowed her eyes, feeling her anger grow.
"And you would accept your boyfriend doing that with one of his female friends?"
Horikita looked away slightly, blushing faintly. She knew the answer was no, she wouldn't like it, and she wouldn't accept it, but she wouldn't lose to this possessive, crazy girl.
"I don't see anything wrong with it..." She replied, hesitantly.
Kei felt her patience wearing thin.
"You're so shameless, you know that?!" She shot.
As the chaos unfolded, Ryuuen, Sakayanagi, and Ryota continued watching, as if it was the best entertainment they had ever had.
Ryota grabbed another handful of popcorn and threw some to Ryuuen and Sakayanagi.
"This just keeps getting better."
Ryuuen laughed, chewing his popcorn.
"Kuku... Ayanokouji really knows how to provoke a woman without even trying."
Sakayanagi smiled, her eyes shining with amusement.
"It's fascinating how he always maintains this calm expression, even when surrounded by problems he's caused for himself."
Sudou kept staring at Horikita in the theater, trying to process everything.
("Horikita... You're really changing, huh?")
Kei took a deep breath, trying to calm down. But Ayanokouji's cold, indifferent gaze only irritated her further.
"Kiyotaka..." She started, more slowly, trying to measure her words. "You REALLY don't see anything wrong with this?"
Ayanokouji looked her in the eyes.
"No."
Silence filled the room for a moment.
"The falseness is so strong, I think it might come to life soon." Kushida, Sakayanagi, and Chiaki thought, looking at Ayanokouji calmly.
Kei bit her lip, feeling a knot in her stomach.
"You're impossible!" She screamed.
"I just don't understand your logic." Ayanokouji responded calmly.
Kei huffed, crossing her arms and looking away, clearly irritated.
Sakayanagi chuckled.
"Fufu... Kiyotaka-kun, you really have no clue about relationships, do you?"
Ryota agreed, still eating popcorn.
"He might be a genius, but when it comes to romance..."
Ryuuen laughed again.
"Kuku... The best part is that he doesn't even care."
Kei looked at Horikita out of the corner of her eye, who remained firm.
Kei knew she was being possessive, but...
("I'm not going to lose to this girl.")
She clenched her fists and took a deep breath.
"This isn't over, Kiyotaka!" She warned.
Ayanokouji just sighed again.
("Looks like my life is about to get even more complicated.")
"Maybe I'll regret what I'm about to do, but it's better than continuing to lie to myself," the girl continued.
"Tell me, what are you doing here, Horikita?" he asked with an intimidating aura.
Why did the seemingly calm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka speak this way? Was he irritated at how poorly his plan with Kei was turning out? Or had Horikita's actions gone beyond what he was willing to accept?
"Was that... Ayanokouji?" Kushida blinked several times, as if she had heard wrong.
"That tone..." Ishizaki swallowed hard. "Is he mad?!"
Kei stiffened, her eyes wide as she stared at the screen. She had never heard Kiyotaka speak like that before.
Ryuuen grinned widely, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Kukuku... So even he can lose composure?"
Sakayanagi smiled calmly, crossing her arms and tilting her head slightly.
"Interesting... Ayanokouji-kun is finally showing a trace of emotion?"
Ryota chewed his popcorn slowly, observing every detail of the scene.
"Hmmm... looks like our centerpiece has finally stepped out of the spectator role."
But for Manabu, this was something even more interesting.
The former student council president kept his serious gaze, but inside...
("This is rare... very rare...")
Horikita blushed slightly, but her pride stopped her from looking away from the screen.
("He's... angry?")
She felt something strange inside her. Part of her wanted to back off, but another part... wanted to understand the reason behind it.
Kei, on the other hand, felt a stab of satisfaction.
("So he does care, after all.")
She believed he got angry because Horikita was messing with their relationship... that even feels a little pitiful.
Something inside Ayanokouji seemed to have changed.
He didn't understand why, but he felt a growing irritation.
Things with Kei didn't work out.
He lost an entire year dating for an experiment that, in the end, failed.
("Time wasted.")
His face remained impassive, and he calmly responded to the others' comments.
But then-
"Kuku... So it was all a waste of time, huh, Ayanokouji?"
Ryuuen's voice echoed through the theater.
"You lost a year of your life for nothing."
And at that moment, something unexpected happened.
For half a second-
Ayanokouji's face furrowed in slight anger.
His fingers clenched in a faint grip, almost imperceptible.
His composure broke.
It was just an instant, but it was enough.
The room held its breath.
Kei blinked, surprised.
"What was that...?"
Horikita narrowed her eyes, intrigued.
"He... reacted?"
Sakayanagi put a hand on her chin, observing carefully.
"So even he has a limit?"
Ryuuen smiled even wider, feeling immense pleasure.
"Ahahahaha! So even the great Ayanokouji feels something! This is great!"
But in a matter of seconds, Ayanokouji regained his composure.
His apathetic look returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
But no one in the room would forget that brief moment.
Because in that instant, for the first time in the reaction room...
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka showed a real emotion.
One thing we can be sure of is that Horikita was surprised; she didn't expect such sudden "aggression" from the brown-haired boy.
"You look angry. Things with Kei aren't going as well as I thought?" she teased, keeping her serene expression.
"That's none of your business."
"Oh, really?"
As soon as the new image appeared on the screen, the room fell into a tense silence. Kei's eyes widened as she saw Horikita mocking her relationship with Ayanokouji. Her face contorted into an expression of growing irritation.
"You must be joking with me..." Kei murmured, her eyebrows furrowed in anger.
She abruptly turned to Horikita, pointing her finger at her.
"What the hell did you mean by that?!"
Horikita, blushing slightly, blinked a few times before responding, pretending to be innocent.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb!" Kei snapped, clenching her fists. "You were clearly provoking my relationship! What are you insinuating? That Kiyotaka isn't happy with me?"
Horikita sighed, looking indifferent.
"You're overreacting, Karuizawa. My future self was just playing around with Ayanokouji-kun. You're overreacting because of some things that happened moments ago."
"Overreacting?! You didn't even deny it, Horikita!"
Ryuuen, who had been watching the argument with a malicious grin, decided to join in.
"Looks like someone here feels threatened, huh?" he teased, looking directly at Kei.
Kei turned to him, furious.
"Threatened? Hah! Not even a little!"
Sakayanagi raised a hand to her mouth, smiling slightly.
"Oh, but it's natural to feel that way, isn't it? After all, after so many suspicious scenes... anyone in your place would start to worry."
"Shut up, Sakayanagi!" Kei retorted, her patience running out.
She then turned to Ayanokouji, her frustration directed at him.
"And you?! Are you going to say something, or will you keep standing there like a lifeless object?! Are you going to let her provoke our relationship just because he's in a bad phase?"
Ayanokouji, as always, maintained his serene expression.
"I really don't see a reason for all this fuss."
Kei blinked, incredulous.
"Don't see a reason?! You admitted you want to have normal conversations with her without involving exams! That means she's special to you, right?! And now you let her provoke our relationship!"
Before Ayanokouji could respond, Ichika entered the conversation with a playful smile.
"Bold, huh, Horikita?" she teased, casting a curious glance at the girl with black hair.
Horikita narrowed her eyes, blushing slightly.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, don't pretend you don't know." Ichika laughed. "You poked the bear with a short stick. Tease a jealous girlfriend and see what happens. You've got guts, I admit."
"I just made a comment." Horikita retorted, crossing her arms and looking away.
"A comment? Oh, sure." Ichika shook her head, a playful smile on her face.
Meanwhile, Ichinose watched everything silently, her eyes half-closed and her jaw clenched.
Why does it always have to be Horikita? she thought, her heart heavy in her chest. If anyone should be in her place, it should be me.
Kei, still boiling with anger, pointed at Horikita again.
"If you're not doing anything, then stay away from my boyfriend now and in the future!"
Horikita sighed, already seeming tired of the argument and this girl trying to impose limits on her involving her best friend. Who does she think she is to dare do that?
"I won't change my interactions with my friend just because you feel insecure, Karuizawa."
"Insecure?! You-!"
Kei was about to explode when Ryuuen laughed again, clearly enjoying the situation.
"Hah, this is better than I expected. You should keep going. Maybe Karuizawa will rip Horikita's hair out?"
"Shut up, Ryuuen!" Kei shouted, furious.
Sakayanagi let out a low laugh.
"I have to agree, this is getting quite interesting."
Kei huffed and flopped onto the couch, crossing her arms and turning her face, pouting. Horikita just looked away, uninterested in continuing the discussion, while hiding a slight smile.
"No one lets me respond to the things asked to me. Life is complicated," Ayanokouji thought, sighing.
"You think you can hug me and pinch me not once, but twice, and act like nothing happened?" she asked, confronting him. "You think I didn't notice how you look at me?" Horikita whispered.
"And you? You think I didn't notice how you look at me during our swimming lessons?"
As soon as the new scene appeared on the screen, the atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Kei's gaze hardened, and her expression shifted from surprise to indignation in a matter of seconds. Her eyes flickered between Ayanokouji and Horikita, but her main focus was on him.
She pointed an accusing finger, her face full of disbelief and anger.
"What the hell is this, Kiyotaka?!"
Ayanokouji blinked slowly, as if processing the question, but before he could respond, Kei stepped closer, her frustration evident.
"You think you can just hug Horikita, pinch her not once, but twice, and act like nothing happened?!"
Ryuuen, who had been observing the scene with amusement, let out a low laugh.
"This is getting better and better."
Sakayanagi tilted her head slightly, her mischievous smile still on her face.
"Oh, so it really happened? I wonder what else our Ayanokouji is hiding..."
Kei ignored both of them completely, keeping her furious gaze on Ayanokouji.
"And what is this look Horikita is talking about?! Do you have something to tell me?!"
Ayanokouji sighed, looking slightly tired of the situation.
"This happened during the recent exam. After Horikita lost to Ichinose, she was shaken, so I comforted her before using that to pressure her in the exam."
Kei's eyes widened, stunned for a second before narrowing again.
"So you hugged her to comfort her?! And why did you pinch her then? Extra affection?!"
Horikita, who had been silent until then, felt her face starting to heat up. The memories of that moment flooded her mind—she had been vulnerable, Ayanokouji was by her side, and for a moment, she had let her guard down.
"I wanted to be praised by him."
The memory hit her hard, and her face turned slightly red. She quickly averted her gaze, a little uncomfortable with herself for reacting that way.
Ichika, who had been watching everything closely, noticed Horikita's change in expression and gave a sly smile.
"Oh? Are you embarrassed, Horikita?" she teased. "Looks like it was more than just a casual hug, huh?"
"O-of course not!" Horikita quickly responded, her voice a little louder than usual.
"Hmm... Is it?" Ichika smiled, clearly enjoying herself.
Before Horikita could defend herself, Kei crossed her arms and turned to her.
"And you?!" her voice carried indignation. "What's this about looking at my boyfriend in the swimming class?!"
Horikita snapped out of her trance, returning to the present.
"I-!" She hesitated for a moment before regaining her composure. "It's nothing."
"Nothing?! You yourself said you noticed how he looks at you!" Kei snapped, losing patience. "And now you're pretending you don't know anything?!"
"I just commented on an insignificant detail." Horikita spoke cynically.
"Insignificant, my ass!" Kei huffed, clearly irritated.
Ichinose, who had been silent until then, clenched her fists discreetly.
"Horikita always..." she thought, feeling a growing discomfort in her chest. "Always her."
Ryuen laughed again, enjoying the chaos in the room.
"This is more fun than I expected. Karuizawa is on fire."
"And Horikita is melting." Sakayanagi added, looking at the faint blush on the black-haired girl's face.
Kei huffed and turned her face away, irritated.
"This isn't over, Kiyotaka. Not for you and not for her."
Ayanokouji sighed calmly as he observed Kei, who still stared at him with a furious gaze. He knew that any explanation he tried to give would only make things worse. Why was he even bothering trying to convince her? In the end, it didn't make sense.
He simply closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, he spoke with his usual unshakable calm:
"Believe what you want."
Kei's eyes widened, clearly not expecting that answer.
"What?!"
Ayanokouji remained serene, not showing any signs of concern.
"But if you want to know, in those situations when I hugged Horikita and pinched her, I was just helping a friend who was nervous and needed comfort."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Horikita, who had been trying to remain indifferent, felt her cheeks warm slightly.
"A friend..."
She didn't know why, but whenever Ayanokouji talked about protecting her or helping her, a strange warmth spread inside her.
She lowered her gaze slightly, trying to process it. The blush on her face was subtle, but it was there.
Ryuuen immediately noticed and gave a provocative smile.
"Oh... Horikita, your face is a bit red."
"Are you imagining Ayanokouji hugging you again?" Sakayanagi added, amused.
Horikita quickly regained her composure and shot a sharp look at the two of them.
"Don't say nonsense."
Kei still seemed incredulous. She narrowed her eyes at Ayanokouji.
"So, does this mean that for you, this was just helping a friend?"
"Yes."
His tone was so calm it only irritated Kei even more.
"So, if it were Ichika or Ichinose, would you hug them too?!"
Ayanokouji kept his neutral expression and calmly lied.
"If they were in a similar situation, yes."
Kei was stunned for a moment.
"You have no idea what you're saying, do you?"
"I do."
Kei bit her lip, feeling like she was losing the argument.
Meanwhile, Ichika glanced at Horikita from the corner of her eye, noticing that the girl was still slightly blushing. A smile appeared on her lips.
"You can deny it, Horikita-senpai, but your face says otherwise."
"Shut up, Ichika."
"So cold~."
Ryuen laughed quietly, finding it all a real spectacle.
"This is better than any school test."
Kei huffed, crossing her arms.
"This isn't over, Kiyotaka."
She knew she wouldn't get anything else out of him right now, but her irritation was far from fading.
Horikita looked away, still trying to ignore that strange warm feeling inside her.
"Relax, soon everyone will be hot for a different reason." Ryota thought calmly as he began setting up the screen censorship he would need.
"You really think you're attractive enough to think you're stealing my attention?"
Despite the words of the girl with black hair, it was clear that they both had each other on their minds, whether they liked it or not, especially after the last special exam. The moment the boy held Horikita in his arms, she felt something buried deep inside her finally surface. The same could be said for the boy, who, after feeling the warmth of the girl's body, felt the urge to hold her, no matter how much she tried to pull away... Even so, Horikita remained firm, looking at him.
Kei's eyes widened, feeling her blood boil.
"WHAT?!"
She immediately turned her head to Ayanokouji, then to Horikita, then back to Ayanokouji.
"Is this some kind of joke? What is this about feeling the need to hold her?! Kiyotaka!!"
Ayanokouji sighed. He had already anticipated Kei's reaction, but no matter how much he tried to find a way to explain, he knew that anything he said would only make the situation worse.
"It's just the way it was written. It doesn't exactly mean what it seems."
Kei didn't accept the answer so easily.
"Oh, really?! So you didn't feel the need to hold her?! How funny, because the screen says otherwise, Kiyotaka!"
Horikita, on the other hand, kept her serious expression, but her heart was beating faster than usual.
"So he really... held me because he wanted to? There was nothing hidden in that? Was it just something he wanted to do to help me?"
She refused to accept that interpretation, but her face was slightly flushed, and another part of her lower body was gently warm remembering what she had done.
Ryuuen let out a quiet laugh.
"Seems like the master of emotionless expressions has, deep down, a more... instinctive side, huh?"
Sakayanagi smiled with amusement.
"Indeed. Who would've thought our dear Ayanokouji would have such a natural impulse?"
Ichika, who had only been observing, turned to Horikita with a teasing smile.
"So... how was it? Did you feel something special in his arms?"
"..."
Horikita crossed her arms and looked at the screen, trying to ignore the stares on her.
"I don't have to answer stupid questions."
Ichika laughed.
"Your tone of voice is a little different now..."
Ichinose, who had been quieter than usual, stared at the screen.
"Even he... can feel this kind of impulse? So, could something have happened that day beyond just our kiss? I should have done more. I should've pushed him on the bed like I initially planned."
Kei, still furious, walked up to Ayanokouji and poked him in the chest.
"So, you're going to keep pretending this is normal?!"
Ayanokouji looked at her for a moment before simply replying:
"If you want to believe there's something more to it, I can't stop you."
"UGH!!"
"His cynicism is off the charts today." Kushida thought, surprised, looking at Ayanokouji.
Horikita sighed and looked away from Kei speaking with Ayanokouji.
"Why... why am I feeling this anger inside me? Why am I angry at her? No, that's impossible. I can't give in to this."
She lightly shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away.
She knew being there was a mistake, she knew getting emotionally involved with him was a bad decision, especially considering how he had broken another girl's heart, someone named Ichinose Honami. But she also knew he looked at her in a way he never looked at his current girlfriend, and, despite herself, she started thinking about him more and more.
The impact of the words on the screen was immediate. Silence took over the room for a brief moment before Ichinose quickly stood up, her expression determined despite the slight blush on her face.
"This is a misunderstanding!" She declared, her voice louder than usual. "Ayanokouji-kun and I have always just been friends! He never broke my heart because... because I was never in love with him!"
Even saying that, she knew it was a lie. But it didn't matter. She wouldn't let it ruin their friendship, and certainly not let Ayanokouji be accused unfairly. Besides, everything that had happened between them only started after he showed who he truly was, and after that, everything in their relationship changed for the better. She even got a kiss; she couldn't risk losing that now.
"If anyone is to blame, it's me."
Ayanokouji watched her for a moment but said nothing. He understood what she was doing and decided it was best not to correct or confirm anything.
However, before anyone could question more, Horikita, who had already noticed Ichinose's intent, took the lead.
"The future version of me was probably misled by a rumor." She crossed her arms and looked at the others confidently. "If I thought that, it's because someone made me believe it. So, we shouldn't take these thoughts too seriously."
Her gaze passed over Ichika, Ryuuen, and Sakayanagi, who seemed particularly interested in what was happening.
Kei, who was already irritated by everything involving Ayanokouji and Horikita, didn't like that.
"Oh, of course, now we just say it was all a rumor and done?" She cast a suspicious glance at Ichinose. "If you never liked him, why are you so nervous, huh?"
Ichinose froze for a second before forcing a smile.
"I just thought it was unfair! He did nothing wrong, so there's no reason to accuse him of something like this."
"Hmm..." Kei narrowed her eyes. "If you say so..."
Ryuuen chuckled quietly, clearly enjoying the situation.
"So, basically, someone's lying here. The question is... who?"
Sakayanagi smiled, tilting her head slightly.
"Oh, I love a good drama. But, in the end, the truth always finds a way to come out."
Ichika was watching everything intently, but deep down, she was more focused on how Horikita reacted.
"She defended Ayanokouji without hesitation. Does that mean she trusts him... or that she cares too much about him?"
In the midst of all that chaos, Ayanokouji sighed quietly, realizing that whatever he said would only make things worse. So, once again, he chose silence.
"Even you will react to what's about to be shown now, Kiyo-san." Ryota thought nervously, watching the next paragraph.
The brown-haired boy had always been on the mind of the black-haired girl. At first, it was just to understand his very complex mind, but without realizing it, she began to see him as a man. Gradually, over the years, until the day he finally held her in his arms. That day, the girl felt a warmth in her chest that only grew over time, to the point of touching herself thinking about him. She was surprised by her own shameless actions, but not even that could make his image disappear from her conflicted mind. This led her to make a radical decision.
All eyes fell on Horikita, who was extremely flushed, her face burning as if she were about to faint. Not even in her worst nightmares did she imagine that information would be revealed on the screen. Her body tensed, her breathing became irregular, and if it were possible, she would have buried herself in the ground at that very moment.
The first to break the silence was Ryuuen, who burst into a laugh so loud he lost his balance and fell off his chair.
"PUAHAHAHAHAHA!!" He laughed so much that Albert and Ishizaki had to help him up. "This... this was the best thing I've ever seen! HAHAHAHAHA! So our icy princess was touching herself thinking about Ayanokouji?! This is pure gold!"
Ichika was the second to react, shouting as she laughed.
"I KNEW IT! I knew that hug activated something in you!" She pointed at Horikita with a teasing smile. "How bold! How perverted! You were so serious, but deep down, it was like that, huh?!"
Sakayanagi, even though more refined, couldn't help but hold back a playful smile as she observed Horikita with a sharp look and a suggestive tone.
"Ufufu~... Horikita-san, what a revelation... so in love that you'd do this? What radical decision have you made?"
Kei, on the other hand, was mixed between anger, embarrassment, and indignation. She could feel her face burning, her thoughts in disarray, and an overwhelming urge to yell at Horikita.
"But WHAT?! You... YOU DID THIS THINKING ABOUT MY BOYFRIEND?!" - She advanced, her tone clearly between fury and utter shock.
Ayanokouji, for his part, simply blinked calmly. His gaze fixed on Horikita. He genuinely didn't know this information, and maybe he would never have known if it hadn't been shown on the screen. He maintained his serene posture but silently analyzed Horikita, waiting for her reaction.
Horikita, however, seemed to want to die. Her face was on fire, and her mind was in absolute chaos. How did this end up on the screen?! Why?! It was a thought she couldn't even accept, and now it was exposed for everyone to see?!
On the side, Ichinose watched with a flushed face and in silence, her thoughts boiling with jealousy. She bit her lower lip, feeling irritation growing inside her.
"She thought about Ayanokouji like that...? He should be with me... not with her."
Sato and Chiaki were also surprised.
"Horikita... you...?!" - Sato muttered, her face red with embarrassment and anger. The shock came with a sudden rage for her friend. "She did this thinking about Kei's boyfriend?! How did she have the guts?!"
"Uhh..." - Chiaki, who was usually calmer, looked away, flushed with embarrassment.
And then came the final provocation.
Kushida, always taking any opportunity to provoke Horikita, smiled softly and whispered next to the girl, her voice laced with venom.
"Wow, Horikita-san... what an unexpected side of you... If I had known you liked him this much, I would have given you some tips~."
It was the end for Horikita. She wanted to disappear, vanish, evaporate. But there was no way out.
And, amidst all of this, Ayanokouji simply kept looking at her, not saying a word.
Her eyes turned to him, demanding a reaction, an explanation, ANYTHING!
"So?" - Kei crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. - "Aren't you going to say anything about this?!"
Ayanokouji blinked slowly, showing no apparent emotion. He was genuinely surprised, but not in the way the others imagined.
"It may not seem like it..." - He said, his voice calm and unchanged. - "But I'm genuinely surprised."
Horikita groaned quietly, curling up further in the chair.
"I want to die..." - She murmured, her voice muffled by her own despair.
Ayanokouji turned his face towards her, still expressionless but with a slightly more attentive look.
"Don't die."
Horikita buried her face further in her hands, her whole body radiating shame and absolute despair.
"It's impossible..." - Her voice was muffled. - "I... I can't even look into your eyes now that you know this..."
"HAHAHAHAHA!" - Ryuuen laughed again, leaning forward with a predatory smile. - "You really dug yourself into this one, huh, Horikita? Now everyone knows you can't stop thinking about Ayanokouji!"
Ichika, laughing along, pointed at Kei.
"And his girlfriend is seeing all of this live, right in front of her! Ahhh, this is better than a soap opera!"
Kei clenched her fists, breathing deeply to try not to explode right there.
She looked at Horikita again, then turned to Ayanokouji with a deadly look.
"See that, Kiyotaka?" - She said, her voice filled with jealousy and irritation. - "She doesn't see you just as a friend!"
Ayanokouji didn't immediately say anything. He just kept looking calmly at Horikita, who was still sunk in shame, unable to lift her head.
And then, he didn't deny anything.
This didn't go unnoticed by Kei, and her anger only grew.
"You won't even deny it?!"
"What do you want me to say?" - Ayanokouji finally asked, his voice so calm that it seemed like none of this was really affecting him.
"I don't know! Say something!" - Kei snapped, clearly irritated.
Ayanokouji sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again.
"Just because I'm aware of it now doesn't mean I knew before. So there's nothing to deny, everything I said before was the absolute truth."
Horikita trembled with shame, murmuring quietly:
"S-stop talking as if this is normal..."
"But isn't it normal?" - Ichika interrupted, smiling. - "You're literally in love with Ayanokouji and thinking about him... like that. If that's not normal, then what is?"
"I... I'm NOT in love!" - Horikita exploded, finally lifting her head, even though her face was still completely flushed.
"Ahhh, I see." - Ryuuen laughed maliciously. - "So you just touch yourself thinking about him without being in love? That makes a lot of sense."
Horikita opened her mouth to retort, but couldn't say anything. Her brain simply froze.
Kei growled in frustration, pulling Ayanokouji by the shirt and staring directly into his eyes.
"And you?!" - She exclaimed. - "Aren't you going to say anything about this?! Nothing to say about this information just dropped in your lap?!"
Ayanokouji blinked slowly, analyzing Kei's angry expression, before simply responding:
"I already said I'm genuinely surprised."
Kei abruptly let go of him, her face turning even more red with anger and embarrassment.
"Ugh! You're unbearable sometimes!"
Meanwhile, Ichinose, who had stayed quiet until now, watched the scene with an expression that was hard to decipher. Her eyes were fixed on Horikita, filled with jealousy she tried to suppress.
But deep down, she knew the truth, Horikita Suzune was a threat to her happy future with Ayanokouji.
"Seems like the aggressive Horikita from the first year is back..."
"Who knows... maybe..."
They looked into each other's eyes, feeling the mutual need to feel each other, though neither dared to go further. Their usual facial expressions were now replaced by an expectant look.
The tension between them was palpable, as if it could be cut with something as simple as a piece of paper. Their eyes were locked, watching each other and losing themselves in each other's faces.
The silence in the theater was deafening, a complete contrast to the previous commotion. Everyone was staring at the screen, absorbing the scene filled with tension between Ayanokouji and Horikita.
The atmosphere was heavy, as if any word could break the fragile balance that was forming at that moment.
Kei, still irritated by the previous revelation, gritted her teeth, clenching her fists.
"Again with this...?" - She murmured, her voice filled with discomfort and jealousy.
She didn't like the mood that this scene was creating.
Ichika, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow, tilting her head with an intrigued smile.
"Wow..." - She whispered, enjoying herself. - "This is like those moments before a kiss, huh? But wait... are they really going to-?"
Ryuuen, who was still recovering from his previous laughing fit, stretched his back and laughed again, but now in a more perverse way.
"Oho~... This is getting good. What's wrong, Horikita? Waiting for him to make the first move?"
Horikita, already humiliated by the previous scene, gritted her teeth, her face even redder.
"SHUT UP, RYU-!"
Before she could finish the sentence, the screen continued showing the two of them staring at each other, the tension growing even more.
Sakayanagi, who usually liked to tease, interlaced her fingers under her chin, watching the screen with genuine curiosity.
"This is interesting..." - She murmured.
Ichinose, who had been quiet until now, felt something strange in her chest. It was an unease, a sensation she couldn't ignore.
She knew Ayanokouji never showed emotions, but in that scene, there was something different. Something that bothered her in a way that was uncomfortable.
Chiaki, who was always the most discreet, turned red, averting her gaze.
"U-uh..." - She murmured. - "This is... kind of intense, huh?"
Sato, who was also shocked, looked at Kei, expecting her to snap. But surprisingly, Ayanokouji's girlfriend didn't explode immediately.
She just stared at the screen, her face shifting between anger, jealousy, and confusion.
"Is he... Is he really looking at Horikita like that?" - Kei asked, more to herself than to the others.
Ayanokouji, sitting calmly, continued watching the scene without expressing anything.
But deep down, he knew that situation wasn't going to end well for him.
"What's wrong, Ayanokouji-kun?" she asked with a smile. - "Do you want to tell me something?"
The distance between them was about two meters, but it was slowly closing again...
"There are many things I would like to tell you, but I don't know how to express them."
"Why don't you show me instead?"
"...I'm not sure if it's a good idea."
One meter and a half away...
Ichika smiled mischievously, her eyes shining with amusement and anticipation.
"This has a dangerous vibe, huh?" she commented, leaning forward. "This is THE scene. The moment right before something intense happens."
Ryuuen, who was already enjoying the situation, raised his eyebrows and laughed.
"Oho~... Is our 'Stone Ayanokouji' finally going to move?" he teased, looking at the protagonist of the scene.
The tension in the theater room grew as the distance between the two characters on the screen decreased.
Kei, who had been irritated from the start, clenched her fists tightly, feeling her face heat up with anger.
"What the hell is going on here?!" she exclaimed, staring directly at Ayanokouji.
But as always, he remained impassive, watching the scene with an absurd calmness.
Horikita, on the other hand, was completely red, shrinking in her seat.
"Wh-what...?!" she murmured, completely flustered.
Ayanokouji blinked calmly, not changing his expression.
"It seems like this version of your future self is acting... very direct."
Horikita buried her face in her hands, feeling like she wanted to disappear.
Sakayanagi, who was watching with a slight provocative smile, decided to join in on the fun.
"This is becoming quite the spectacle. Ayanokouji-kun, what do you think of this situation?"
Chiaki and Sato, who were watching everything in shock, didn't know how to react.
Sato, however, recovered first, and looked indignantly at Horikita.
"You... are getting that close to my best friend's boyfriend?! Horikita?! Seriously?!"
The scene on the screen continued, with the distance between the two getting even smaller...
Kei abruptly stood up from her seat, pointing at the screen, her face a mix of rage and disbelief.
"What the hell is going on here? Why are you heading toward him, Horikita?! Why?! And why aren't you backing off, Kiyotaka?!"
Kei yelled at the screen even though she knew Ayanokouji couldn't hear her.