The Ayanokouji Twins

Chapter 6.1: Horikita Suzune, Eating Lunch with Koenji Rokusuke for some Reason

"Why am I eating lunch with you again?"

The stoic and smouldering Horikita alongside the smirking and carefree Koenji was an odd combo to say the least, and incompatible to say more. The two hadn't even touched their food, instead choosing to glare at the other. More specifically, Horikita was glaring at Koenji while Koenji was admiring his reflection in the mirror.

"You're asking the wrong questions, Horikita-girl. You should first be asking why I found it permissible to grace you with my presence." he said, combing his hair back for the umpteenth time.

"You say that as if I'm happy to be sitting with you or, for that matter, to be anywhere near your general vicinity." She replies, looking like she would strangle someone for stress relief. Thankfully, the far corner of the cafeteria's second floor seating had few people around. The next set of tables around them were all vacant.

"And that's the second question you should be asking, Horikita-girl; "How could I possibly be dissatisfied with Koenji Rokusuke's presence?" You may want to seriously think about that one, for disliking me is a sign of terminal inadequacy."

It was taking all of Horikita's mental strength to stop herself from brandishing her fork as a weapon. She would've considered flipping the table onto him first, but it was unfortunately bolted to the floor.

And the table wasn't the only thing stuck, for that's how she felt. Bolted to the floor, unable to escape from the torture known as living within earshot of Kouenji Rokusuke. And it was all because of—

"But the third thing you should be asking," said Kouenji, deliberately interrupting Horikita's anger. "Is, perhaps, more agreeable to your inferior intellect. Why?"

Why indeed. Horikita wondered that very same thing when the request came from her apparently "mentor."

"Why would Kiyotaka make you sit with me?" Asked Kouenji, his playful smirk unchanging. "Those two are entirely deliberate. If you don't think there's a reason for each and every one of their actions, you are gravely mistaken. To those two, planning and organizing five moves ahead is a standard, everyday train of thought."

He peered down over the railing down to the first floor where, right in the middle of the cafeteria, a brown-haired boy and girl where chatting up some senpai.

"Let me give you a simple example." He suddenly added, looking towards the twins below with a look that felt uncharacteristic from the arrogant heir. "And this is one of the few stories of my defeats, so listen well, Horikita-girl."

"I was playing a competitive match of chess with Kiyone not long ago. Being the fair sport I am, I of course held nothing back, asserting the full capacities of my genius brain." He said, gazing towards the twins. "Then, five minutes into the game, I made my move, pressed the timer, and took in a deep breath. By the time I exhaled, Kiyone had found mate in twenty, with two more minutes on the timer than me."

Horikita could not hide her shock. Not because of the story- she didn't know much about to chess, so she didn't have any comparison for how good a 'mate in twenty' was. No, her surprise came entirely from how the arrogant Koenji almost appeared... amicable? Was that the right word?

"So? Why do you think Kiyotaka made you sit with me? I've even graced you with the valuable tale of one of my losses, so don't disappoint me." He said, transitioning from combing his hair to filing his nails.

"...Ignoring the rest of your nonsense." Says Horikita. "You were friends with the twins even before coming here, weren't you? I can only see this as them trying to get us acquainted. Though unfortunately, it's only reaffirmed how insufferable you are."