Volume 1 - Top-Tier Character Ayanokōji-kun [DISCONTINUED] [READ THE REVISION]

SS - Izumi Yuzu: The Hand That Reached Out

"Thanks, Ayanokōji-kun!"

And there he goes.

...

I can't take it anymore! I can't keep calm!

Shuuji.. seriously, how dense can you be!? I'm giving it my all, just trying to help you! But.. no! You just kept ignoring me, like I don't even exist. I keep trying to talk to you, but all I get is "Get out" or a "You're annoying, just leave".. you're so.. stubborn! I cried because of you, you idiot... and Ayanokōji-kun saw me like that!

Ayanokōji-kun...

Seriously, there was a guy like that in our class? I'm not trying to be mean! But.. I didn't even know he existed. He was completely invisible and still is to most people. Has he seriously been with us since the first year at Sekimoto? He's not just a random transfer student that just entered our school.. right?

It's embarrassing to admit but.. I actually waited for him at the entrance. It was my only chance to have Shuuji stop ignoring me! I got the idea of him teaching me Atafami in home economics today when he indirectly confirmed he's better than Shuuji.. and even that was unexpected cause' Shuuji was, like, really good in Junior High! He won a fair amount of money by playing against people.

The whole time we talked, Ayanokōji-kun kept calm. There was seriously nothing that surprised him, astonished him.. overwhelmed him. Like, he just kept that same expression plastered on his face throughout everything. When I was bawling my eyes out, you'd expect someone seeing that to comfort you, right? But with him, it's different.. he just stood there. He stared at me until I could compose myself. I didn't know what to think of that! Like, does he enjoy seeing teenage girls cry? Is he a sadist!? I thought he was laughing at me in his mind..

I really was an idiot.

Ayanokōji-kun isn't like that at all. If I had to say.. he's just a shy teenage boy who has trouble expressing his emotions. Yes, I got it! That's it! But that's not bad at all. When he offered to buy me a drink under the guise that he himself was thirsty it was soooo~ adorable. You'd usually try to be a bit more hidden with that kinda stuff, like Mizusawa-kun, but he didn't care. He just said it straight up and it was really funny!~ He's also.. really dense. When we were deciding on where I'd be taught, I don't think he was aware that he's gonna go to a girl's place! 

He's a teenage boy, right? How can he not get nervous? It can't be... does he have a girlfriend!?... No.. he probably doesn't. Hehe~.. he really is just dense.

But not only is he clumsy, he's actually really.. like, really intelligent! He didn't wanna admit it, but he is! I'm sure that anyone who talked to Ayanokōji-kun for any length of time would notice it. He was just.. so logical, so clear when he was explaining his reasoning to me back in the playground. If I think about it.. maybe he even wanted me to arrive at the solution myself? Now that I know what he actually meant, I want to slap myself in the face for not noticing sooner.. but all the questions he was asking me were probably leading up to the eventual full explanation. 

He was really patient with everything and never got angry or annoyed.. I think. I actually wanted to be Shuuji's practice partner.. how stupid! I can't judge how good he is at videogames, so I'm glad Ayanokōji-kun corrected me. Of course, I don't know if he's right or not, but..

there's no way Ayanokōji-kun would ever lie. He's far too kind!

However, even though he is really smart and kind and all that... there's just something different about him. I'm not really good at school and.. exams.. and that kinda stuff hehe~ so I don't know if I'm right, but I don't think he's "academically" smart like.. let's say, Aoi-chan or Mimimi. They're both #1 and #2 in all the tests and I actually expected Ayanokōji-kun to be like them. But when I asked him while he was teaching me Atafami, he said he was average.. seriously!? Someone like him is average!? But I guess I couldn't argue with his actual exam results.. 

and there's no reason for anyone to intentionally lower their scores, so that ridiculous idea is thrown out the window.

I figured he's just not book-smart.. do you call it "street-smart"? I'm not sure but you get what I mean! Yeah, he has a different kinda "smart", unlike Mimimi and Aoi-chan. 

Now that I know he's like this, I have to wonder: Why is Ayanokōji-kun not popular? Sure, he's pretty monotone.. and doesn't really change his expression a lot.. but that's his charm! A stoic super intelligent guy who saves the damsel in distress.. hehe~ it's kinda romantic, isn't it? I'm sure under that hard exterior of his, there's a really gentle soul just waiting to express all of their emotions. I hope he finds someone he likes! I'm rooting for you, Ayanokōji-kun!~

Oh—I almost forgot my original request.. he's ridiculously good at teaching me stuff. When we were playing Atafami, he was very clear with all the terminology the game uses and patient when it came to me trying out techniques.. like that "short-hop".. am I even using the right word? I'm not sure.

Does he have a part-time job teaching something? That's a possibility, right? If not, then he should definitely think about it! You could earn a good amount of money for a high schooler that way.

...

In the end, I'm just really thankful that he was there for me. That he was the one I sought out. 

Anyway, I should probably stop thinking about him. Hehe~.. it almost seems I like him, doesn't it? But no, there's.. someone else that has won over my heart. And for that someone, I will do anything it takes! Even if it is playing.. Atafami aaaaaall night long. I don't want to, but guess there's really no other option, huh?

I will do it.. and then, Shuuji will stop ignoring me!

Sigh~

Thank you for reaching your hand out to me, Ayanokōji-kun.

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES

lol that bitch got played by kiyo

Hope you enjoyed! 

One more side story coming. It's gonna be less serious and more on the funny side. I hope you are looking forward to it!

Criticism and corrections are appreciated!

Peace!

- juli0os