Lilac Petals (Classroom of the Elite)

Chapter 5

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

"Ayanokouji-kun, could it be that... you have a sweet tooth?"

"I habe abhsolutely mno idea what you're talkshing about." I bit down on a spoonful of vanilla cheesecake, savoring the taste.

"Fufu, is that so?"

Arisu and I were currently at the cafe. We had agreed to call each other by our family names to avoid drawing attention, just in case someone happened to overhear our conversation. After all, if you heard somebody like me call her "Arisu," you'd definitely think there was something going on between us.

"By the way, wouldn't it have been better if we just ate indoors?"

Just being with Arisu was enough to get me some unwanted attention. I was sure that she understood this too.

"Well, I can certainly imagine how your presence with me might draw attention." She took a short sip from her latte. "However, it's quite easy for someone to dismiss it as me attempting to manipulate you."

"That's exactly why it's a problem for me specifically. My classmates are fully aware of the fact that you were the one behind Yamauchi's expulsion."

In other words, my classmates might think that I was going to betray their class in a similar manner to Yamauchi.

"Dining indoors is rather dull, is it not? I'd rather have us eat outside, where we can enjoy the fresh air."

Well, it wasn't like she was going to change her mind, no matter what I said. I silently accepted my fate and continued to devour the luscious vanilla cheesecake in front of me.

Glancing around, I noticed that every table in the cafe was occupied by students. It was around noon, so I supposed that most people chose to have lunch here. Outside the window, the sun seemed to be in high spirits today, so the weather was probably warmer than usual. Thankfully though, the air conditioner inside was doing its job.

"I suppose it's time now." Arisu picked up her cane, and slowly stood up from her chair. "Ayanokouji-kun, would you like to go to the arcade?"

"Sure."

For context, she was the one that invited me to this date, and it seemed like she had everything planned out beforehand. However, she didn't tell me what we were doing today, and only messaged me to meet her at the cafe for lunch.

===

Apparently, the arcade was more crowded than I had expected. The air was filled with the sound effects of games, punctuated by occasional cheers when someone scored a victory. A constant flow of students moved in and out through the entrance, talking about many different topics as they came and went.

Due to Arisu's disability, our options were pretty limited in terms of what we could play. On top of that, many of the machines seemed to be occupied. She scanned the room, looking for things to do in here.

"Hmm?"

And just like that, something had already caught her attention. Following her light of sight, I spotted a claw machine containing lots of cheap-looking prizes. What stood out to me was the white teddy bear, which seemed to be the only stuffed animal in there.

"Shall we try our luck on that?" she asked.

"For what? Do you want anything from there?"

"I don't have anything specific in mind. I thought it'd be rather fun to try it out."

We made our way to the machine. Underneath the controls, I spotted a tap device, which I guessed was where I needed to pay. After the screen had displayed a notification that confirmed the payment, the machine suddenly lit up. And simultaneously, the claw moved from the corner to the center.