Classroom of the Elite: Unconfined Genius (Test Phase)

Vol.2. Chapter 2.1 : A Somewhat Weird Encounter

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

"Ayanon!" Hasebe waved heartily, calling out to me. My usual posse of friends flanked behind her. To be more exact, Miyake, Yukimura, Sakura, and Nene "Please, please, please, please! Let's meet together for some lunch! I heard there was a one-day-only discount for cafeteria meals!" She let me know about it.

"Is that true? By how many percentages?"

"Well... I'm not sure how accurate the price is... However, I think it was..." In contemplation, she rubbed her chin. "15%–20% off? I'm not sure, but it should be in the neighborhood of those figures."

"I see... That's interesting. Alright, allow me a moment, please. I'm going to quickly snatch my bento out of my bag."

"Okie!" With her palm, she made a thumbs-up sign.

I crouched down as I tugged the zipper of my bag to open it. Inside my luggage contained some compulsory stationeries, the school-issued textbooks, some notebooks I purchased at a particular store, my phone, and of course, the lunchbox I had packed and prepared the night before. I swiftly lay hold of it and was about to take off with the rest of the gang, when an unexpected visitor barged in on us.

"Yo!" We were hailed by a masculine voice, who made his presence known. We all turned to look at the source of the voice, which turned out to be Eichiiro's. "Mind if I join you guys for lunch?"

"Matsuo-Kun?" Mori cocked her head to the side, sounding slightly startled.

"The one and only." In a humorous fashion, he bowed gracefully. "So, am I permitted to engage in the tiffin-eating activities with you all?"

"I mean, I'm not opposed to it." Yukimura expressed his point of view. "But don't you typically spend your lunchtime with Hirata's group of friends or the other boys of our class?" Yukimura posed a valid query.

"You're not entirely incorrect. During this period, I normally hobnob around them." He made a small nod articulating agreement. "But, eh, the boys are too preoccupied with fawning over our upperclassmen, and Hirata's harem is acting more irritating and clinging with him than habitually. I just suddenly thought, hey, what the hell, I'll just hang out with you guys today." He was forthright in stating his reasons. "Plus, it'd be fun for me to look over all of you to see what kind of friends my dear Kiyo has rubbed elbows with over the last few months."

"Your dear Kiyo? You make it sound like as if you own me or something along the lines of that."

"Eh?!" Mori squawked in surprise. "Matsuo-Kun, Ayanokouji-Kun, don't tell me you both have that kind of relationship..."

I realized she was thinking about something that made her cheeks flush with embarrassment. What was she thinking about in the first place? Is it possible that she misinterpreted my relationship with Eichiiro? Well, whatever it is, it isn't likely to be something positive.

"Huh? What do you mean-" Eichiiro widened his eyes as if everything had just clicked for him. "Oi, oi, oi, oi! It's not what you're thinking! We aren't in any kind of vulgar or sexual relationship! We're just technically stepbrothers!" Eichiiro frantically attempted to clear up the misconception.

"Stepbrothers?! Doesn't that make it sound more enticing?" Hasebe raised her eyebrows playfully.

"Get your head out of the gutter!" Eichiiro scolded them harshly. "We really aren't like that; I certainly don't swing that way, and I believe we can all agree that incest is sickening, right, Kiyo?"

"Indeed. I can confidently affirm that I am by no means homosexual nor am I attracted to people of the same gender. Not that there's anything wrong with people who are. Incest, on the other hand, is something I find very repulsive."