A Sincere Dream

Candidate

"—Nanase Tsubasa."

I blurted out.

"... Eh?" She became confused. "How do you..."

"..." Everybody stopped what they were doing, and turned their eyes towards me.

"Ayanokouji-kun, are you perhaps acquainted with this Kouhai?" Horikita asked.

"Nope." I replied.

"Senpai, how do you know my name?" Nanase tilted her head and asked me.

"Hah... I did research on the first years through OAA. I just remember your name and face." I gave a solid excuse.

"... I see..." Nanase replied, with a sense of disappointment.

"Ugh, enough with the fucking wholesome reunion or whatever the fuck you shitheads are doing. Lets get back to business, ight?" Housen said. He stared at my face as if disappointed by it. "I take it that you're Ayanokouji?"

"Yeah, that is me." I replied.

"God fucking damn, you may be one sexy motherfucker, but your expression looks like a fucking child who got bullied and just gave up on trying."

"I just can't express feelings well." I shrugged my shoulders.

"At this point, you're so expressionless, you might as well be emotionless." Ouch, that hurts.

I felt Nanase's gaze sharpen at me.

"Anyways. Listen here. You fuckers are fucked, and you dipshits need partners, right?" Hosen said.

"Hosen-kun. If you want us to cooperate, I suggest dropping that bullish act of yours." Horikita said.

"Oi, who's more in danger with this exam? Me? Or you?" Hosen grinned.

"So, what is your proposal?" Horikita asked.

"Heh. Two million points." Housen replied.

"Are you serious? That's absurd." Horikita replied.

"Oi oi. Who said I'm going to be reasonable about it? You have the points, you need the partners. We have the partners, we want the points."

"..." Horikita looked deep in thought. 

"Tch. Look at it this way. If you don't do this deal with us, you gonna have to say 'bye bye' to Clifford the Big Red Dog over there." Housen pointed at Sudou.

"What did you say?!" Sudou yelled at him. 

"Sudou-kun, calm down... Let Horikita-san think right now..." Matsushita approached Sudou and tried to calm him down.

"Tch." Sudou tried to restrain himself.

"Housen-kun, you're causing a scene. People are starting to gather outside." Nanase told him.

"Huh? Does it look like I give "Sa shit? The only shit I would give here is shitting on this classroom's floor." Housen proclaimed. "Ugh, it seems like the fucking class leader here can't think properly. The deal still stands. Feel free to take it when you dumbasses realize you are fucked."

Housen started walking away. Nanase followed behind him, and shot me one last glance before leaving.

———

"Ayanokouji-kun." Horikita called out to me.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"About...?"

"Housen-kun, and Class 1-D."