The soft chorus of chirping birds filled the morning air as the light of the sun bathed Sakura High School with a gentle yet optimistic glow. As students walked through the familiar halls of the school they called a "second home", the once vacant and empty building slowly comes to life with a symphony of voices.
Laughter and whispers echoed outside the classroom door as groups of girls exchanged the latest gossip with each other. Inside the classroom, a cluster of boys animatedly recounted the highlights of yesterday's football match, some celebrated their favorite team's victory, while others buried their faces in their palms in despair over witnessing the injury of their favorite star player.
From the staff room located far away from the sight of students, the quiet but firm murmurs of teachers intended to coordinate their schedules, confirming attendance, and laying out teaching plans for today drifted out. The noise from both students and teachers present signaled more than just the awakening of the school—it marked the beginning of the mundane rhythm of everyday high school life.
In Class 1-F, there sat a boy with brown hair, monotone brown eyes that showed little to no emotion, and a fair complexion, in the third-to-last column from the chalkboard, second seat from the right—just one seat away from the open window view. While his classmates were busy talking and engaging with one another, his gaze drifted off to the view beside his desk. A gentle gust of wind brushed against his face, causing his bangs to sway according to the rhythm of the air.
There was nothing extravagant about the view per se—just leaves of trees and bushes swaying back and forth in time with the wind's direction and strength, students chattering back and forth as they made their way to the lobby; these were all things he had grown accustomed to observing every day. However, he felt interrupted when an imposing shadow blocked the warmth of the sun on his skin as a large bird flapped its wings with passion, soaring towards the ever-distant, ever-unreachable star in the sky.
In a sense, Ayanokouji could clearly see himself in the bird that had momentarily blocked his perfect view. Ever since the dissolution of the place where he had spent his entire life, he felt as though he had nowhere left to go, no purpose to serve, and was thrust into a world he knew very little about—like a shadow with no object to cling to, fading as soon as the light shifts. However, it's not as if he harbored any lingering sadness about leaving the White Room. While he wasn't exactly delighted, he had only considered the place as a training facility—a place to hone his skills, absorb knowledge, and maximize the potential its people believed he possessed. He held no genuine emotional attachment to the place, despite it being the closest thing he could call a "home". After all, although he had grown up alongside other children, one by one, they began to disappear until, eventually, he became the sole survivor of his generation, which left him alone for the last remaining years in the White Room.
But things are different now. Now that he was no longer a part of the White Room and had assumed the identity of a Sakura High student. He finally had the means to pursue opportunities that the White Room didn't allow him to. Sakura High offered an environment that stood as almost the complete antithesis of everything the White Room stood for—it was vibrant, lively, and, most importantly, it granted him the freedom he needed to explore a whole new world far beyond the sterile, colorless walls he was so used to for the past fifteen years.
His newfound liberty could be mainly attributed to his caretaker, Matsuo, the butler who had once personally served 'that man'. It was also because of him that he now had a goal to chase, instead of being left to fend for himself in a completely unfamiliar and seemingly purposeless environment. Even after having settled into this new mundane and humdrum life, the words Matsuo had spoken to him months ago still echoed loudly in his mind.
"Ayanokouji-sama, you may be alive, but do you truly understand what it means to live?"
It seemed like a simple and typical question, but for the first time in Ayanokouji's life, he was rendered speechless by someone's words. Although it was absurd to expect any human being to have every answer to every question, this was one of the rare questions that even the White Room masterpiece couldn't answer immediately. That was why he had set out on this quiet mission of attending a well-regarded, yet conventional high school.
Have I truly been alive all these years, or have I been merely existing? What does it mean to even "live" in the first place? And will there ever come a moment in time when I'll feel truly alive?
"Ayanokouji."
Those were few of the thoughts that nagged his mind incessantly. The question Matsuo posed to him had become what the sun was to that passerby bird. To the bird, the sun was a distant beacon—something it yearned for with so much longing and curiosity. In a much similar way, Ayanokouji wanted to soar into the unknown and sought out the answer to his own elusive philosophical dilemma. It seemed so close, ever-present on the horizon, yet forever remained out of his grasp—like the sun that past astrologers once revered and desired, always admired but never truly reached.
"Hello…? Earth to Ayanokouji?"
He couldn't help but see the bird as a living embodiment of Icarus from the Myth of Icarus.. Icarus once soared through the clouds, defying what many thought to be humanly possible, driven by an insatiable desire to fly ever closer to the sun. Yet, in his arduous pursuit of that luminescent dream, he ignored the warnings of his father and ultimately fell—consumed by the very same fire that once ignited his hope and ambition.
"...Should we get him to the school infirmary?"
In a strangely poetic way, Ayanokouji saw himself reflected in the shadow of Icarus. But he couldn't help but wonder—if it had been him soaring in the skies, would he have succeeded where Icarus failed? Would he have simply felt content in simply flying close and obeying Daedalus' warnings? Or would he, too, have ignored them, choosing instead to burn gloriously in the light of his ambition and heat of his greed?
As Icarus plummeted from the heavens, did he regret his disobedience? Or did he mourn his own ignorance—his incompetence to reach even closer to that bright and glaring star? Or perhaps… in those fleeting moments before his impending death, suspended between the sky—the domain of the divine; and the sea—Poseidon's grave for the guilty and fallen, with the sun's warmth covering his face,he smiled, for because of that ignorance, he had truly felt-
CLAP!
A loud, solitary clap reverberated through the classroom, snapping Ayanokouji out of his stupor. He slowly turned his head toward the source of the sound only to be met with two of his classmates standing before him.
I suppose the answer to those questions will have to wait, Ayanokouji rubbed his temples and looked at the two in front of him.
The one who clapped near his ears was Shimura, a student who Ayanokouji had befriended at the beginning of the school year. He had brown eyes, wore rectangular black-frame glasses, and had short, spiky reddish-brown hair with a slightly exasperated but amused expression on his face as if he was used to pulling Ayanokouji out of his thoughts.
The student beside him was Katou, another one of Ayanokouji's friends. He had black eyes and somewhat unkempt, layered short hair with blue undertones, along with a playful smile that indicated a carefree nature and a fondness to tease others.
"Jeez man, did you even hear anything I had to say?" Shimura asked, half laughing, half annoyed.
"...Sorry, but you're gonna have to repeat what you said." Ayanokouji scratched his head, still maintaining his expressionless face. "I blanked out for a bit."
"Wait a minute…" Katou cupped his chin as if a realization had dawned on him. "Don't tell me you also forgot to do the math homework today Ayanokouji?!"
You'd expect his voice to be full of shock and disbelief, yet the relieved smile on his face betrayed the words that came out of his mouth. He looked at Ayanokouji with suffocatingly sparkling eyes as if it was the kind of look one gives when finding a comrade in arms amidst the chaos of war.
If you're trying to recruit people to get in trouble with, at least be less obvious about it… Ayanokouji thought to himself.
"Don't worry about me, Katou. Fortunately, I did do our math homework yesterday." He pulled his mathematics notebook out of his bag to show him.
"Oh, thank God!" Katou breathed a sigh of relief. "Ayanokouji, I know I've asked this from you a million times, but please let me copy your math homework again!"
"Wasn't this assignment given to us nearly a week ago?"
"You don't get it, dude! Shimura and I were way too occupied with soccer practice last week, so we always came home totally wiped. We couldn't find the energy to do our-"
"AHEM!" Shimura interrupted with a cough, glaring at Katou to tell the truth.
"...Okay fine, I couldn't find the energy to do my math homework." Katou admitted begrudgingly.
"Couldn't you have done it during the weekends?"
"That is a good question; however, I will choose to plead the fifth."
But you're not even American? Shimura looked at him, bewildered.
"Anyways, enough with the interrogations. Please lend me your strength once again, Ayanokouji-sama!" Katou dropped to his knees, clasped his hand, bowed to Ayanokouji, full of desperation and panic in his voice.
Ayanokouji, seemingly unconvinced, looked down at him, stroking his chin—pondering whether he should really give his assistance to the man bowing down right in front of him. "Why can't you just copy Shimura's homework instead?"
"Are you kidding me?!" he shot back, looking at Ayanokouji as if he'd murdered his entire family. "If I put his answers into my notebook, my grades would plummet immediately to the ends of the earth!"
"HEY!" Shimura glared at Kouta. "My math grades aren't that bad"
"Dude, when the math teacher asked you to write the value of pi, you actually drew an American apple pie."
"...Point taken." Shimura didn't even try to refute his words.
"So please, Ayanokouji-sama—"
"Please drop the formalities."
"...So please, Ayanokouji, you know how badly I need to turn in this math homework! I don't wanna write another ten page reflection letter again! I swear I'll do anything!"
After seeing him plead so desperately, Ayanokouji let out a reluctant sigh and handed over his notebook. "Just make sure you give it back to me before math period today." He said.
"May the gods bless you and all your future endeavors, Ayanokouji-sama!" he exclaimed with hyperbolic reverence. "I hope you get to sleep with both sides of the pillow perfectly cold every day!"
"Anyways," If Ayanokouji could fully express himself, he would've rolled his eyes, "What did you both want to talk about with me?"
"Well, we kind of need your input on a very important debate that me and Katou are having right now." Shimura pulled the seat in front of Ayanokouji, turned it around, straddled it, fixing him with a prying gaze.
"The fate of the world could be decided by your answer, so choose wisely, Ayanokouji!" Katou did the same.
I really doubt my answer will have any effect on whether I could wake up alive and healthy tomorrow, but I'll entertain their question anyway. Ayanokouji thought.
"So what is it you both wanted to ask of me?"
"Ayanokouji," Shimura paused. "If martians had a death beam pointing at earth, and you had to bet your family's entire life on it, a hundred men vs one gorilla—who are you taking?"
Ayanokouji blinked slowly, as if he were trying to properly process Shimura's words.
That is… certainly an interesting question. Ethically questionable, but still intriguing nonetheless. Is this an ordinary conversation normal high school boys have every day?
"Before you give us your answer, I think it's important you know where Shimura and I stand on this issue." Katou said, fixing his collar like a certain spiky-haired lawyer, ready to shout out 'Objection!' at any moment. "Our dearest Shimura here thinks a hundred men could even come close to beating one huge gorilla, which is practically insane."
"It's not insane! I mean, just think about the math here." Shimura retorted, waving his hand. "The gorilla has to get tired eventually—after fighting maybe around thirty to fifty men. Surely, at that point, whatever amount of humans are left could just launch a counterattack, swarm the gorilla, and overwhelm it with pure numbers and strength alone!"
"I think you severely underestimate just how strong gorillas are, Shimura…" Katou replied, his voice caught between disbelief and amazement and Shimura's unwavering self-confidence.
"Well, I can't lie. In terms of pure physical strengths and traits, gorillas clearly have the upper hand over humans." Shimura admitted. Then, with sudden conviction in his eyes, he slapped both palms onto Ayanokouji's desk. "But what they don't have, and we humans do that would ensure our total victory over any other animal is simple yet convincing—they call it the indomitable human spirit!"
"Oh yeah? And where's that indomitable human spirit gonna be when the gorilla rips their arms off and chomps their heads clean?" Katou countered, derisively.
As the two continued to argue fervently, Ayanokouji closed his eyes and drifted into his own thoughts. While unconventional and certainly unexpected, he could understand why they were so worked up over this debate. It seemed, admittedly, like a fun brain teaser—the kind that would spark up impassioned debates and playful banter. Although he already had his own answer, he couldn't come to a definite conclusion yet. Shimura's question lacked crucial context, and to answer properly, he'd probably need to ask Shimura a couple of clarifications.
"Anyway!" Shimura suddenly turned to Ayanokouji with a grin, beaming with confidence as if he was a hundred percent confident Ayanokouji would side with him. "Ayanokouji, who's it gonna be? Me or Katou—who do you love more?!"
The classroom's chatter came to a deafening silence. Heads turned. Eyes stared. For a brief moment, it seemed as if the world had paused entirely to look at the three boys at the back of the classroom. From an outsider's perspective, it probably looked as if Shimura and Katou were love-struck suitors vying for Ayanokouji's affection, like a scene straight out of the pages of a boy's love manga.
Murmurs and whispers began to ripple around the classroom.
"I didn't know Ayanokouji swung that way…" one boy muttered under his breath.
"So shameless to do something like that in public…"
"Oh my god! Are they Yaoi?!"
"Shimura, you idiot," Katou growled, grabbing and twisting Shimura's ear.
"OW, OW, OW, OW, OW!"
"We're already as unpopular with girls as it is! I don't need you to destroy any chances I might have left!"
Ayanokouji let out a long sigh in response. "Please refrain from saying anything people could misinterpret about my sexuality…"
"Okay, Okay, I'm sorry! It was an honest mistake!" Shimura whined, prying Katou's hand off his ear. "Ignoring my blunder—Ayanokouji, whose side are you on?!"
"Before I can form my own opinion, there are a few details missing for me to draw a proper conclusion. We're lacking variables, so I hope you can clarify some things first."
"Uh… okay?" Shimura's eyes widened, pleasantly surprised at how invested Ayanokouji seemed in the debate.
Looks like you aren't just some emotionless poker-faced pretty boy. You're a lot like us. Shimura thought to himself.
"First and foremost, what type of gorilla are we talking about here?"
"Uh… I don't know? Hold on." Shimura pulled out his phone and typed in 'most common type of gorilla in Japan.' "A Western Lowland Gorilla…? I don't know man—just gorillas in general."
"I see." Ayanokouji took note of his answer mentally. "Then, for my next question: what's the ratio of men to women in this scenario?"
"Fifty-fifty, I guess? Why does that matter?" Shimura tilted his head.
"Well, it's just that the average male tends to be biologically stronger than the average female. Although physical strength isn't the only factor we should consider, if there were more males involved, the humans' chances of winning might increase."
"Isn't that a bit… sexist, Ayanokouji?" Katou interjected.
"Really? How so?"
It wasn't a challenge—it was a genuine question. Katou could tell Ayanokouji wasn't trying to provoke anyone or spark up any controversial debates; he was simply curious. Still, he felt the need to offer some social advice.
"Well… just assuming that men are stronger and would do better—it's a bit, uh… daring to say, no?"
The word he was probably looking for is presumptuous… but I understand where he's coming from, Ayanokouji thought.
"I see. What I meant was that, in general, males possess greater physical strength than females. I didn't intend to demean or underestimate anyone. This is under the assumption we're dealing with average physiques and athletic abilities. I apologize if it seemed like I offended you in that way."
Ayanokouji didn't hold some outdated, hypermasculine belief that all men were stronger than women. Even with his rigorous White Room training, he could set his pride aside and acknowledge that there were likely female athletes out there with seemingly supernatural strength who could best him in certain physical challenges. However, even if a girl survived the brutal training he endured and grew into the same level as him, he doubted he could imagine an outcome where even with a hundred clones of the same girl helping her they could take down a gorilla.
"Nah, you didn't offend me in any way. It's all good, dude!" Katou gave a thumbs-up to lighten the mood. "Just be careful when talking to other people. Shimura and I don't mind your blunt honesty, but some people might get turned off by it—so just make sure you know when or when not to say certain things."
"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Katou."
There was no hiding it—Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was a rather socially awkward person. While he had enough self-awareness and knowledge to understand how common social interactions worked, putting theory into practice was a completely different challenge. After all, he had spent a good portion of his life isolated with no one to regularly talk or form a close bond with. The closest thing he had to that was when his White Room instructors tutored him or issued commands.
Shimura and Katou, along with his two other friends, had played a big role in helping him integrate into normal high school society since the start of the school year. They were, in Ayanokouji's eyes, the textbook definition of "average high school boys," so he would often analyze and observe their behavior, speech patterns, and mannerisms to learn how to better blend in with the people around him. He was still a far cry from being able to call himself the perfect ordinary student, but small progress was still progress, so there was no need to rush.
"I've reached a decision," Ayanokouji declared.
Katou and Shimura turned to him with sharp eyes, anticipation bubbling like predators eyeing their prey.
"More likely than not, I think the gorilla would beat the hundred humans."
"YES!" Katou pumped his fist into the air, flashing a smug, shit-eating grin at Shimura.
"WHAT?! You're kidding me! You're betraying me too, Ayanokouji?!"
I was never on your side to begin with, Ayanokouji thought, shooting him a deadpan expression.
"No, I don't believe it!" Shimura pointed at him in outrage. "I demand that you explain to me how one single gorilla could win against a hundred able and determined humans?!"
"Well, first off, the obvious variable—physical strength." Ayanokouji began, calmly resting his chin on his interlocked fingers. "Yes, in theory, humans have the numerical advantage, but more doesn't always guarantee better. As Katou said, you're underestimating just how big the gap is in terms of strength. They have massive canine teeth capable of inflicting far more savage and brutal injuries than any human bite could. And in terms of strength, a Silverback Gorilla can reportedly lift almost ten times its own weight. While we're not specifically referring to a silverback in this scenario, I doubt the strength difference between gorilla subspecies is enough to swing the odds that dramatically."
"B-but… the indomitable human spirit…"
"And that's where my second point comes in." Ayanokouji looked at him, his voice flat. "You bring up the concept of humanity's so-called unwavering will. It's poetic and inspirational, sure, but it ignores one key factor: fear."
"Fear?" Shimura muttered, puzzled.
"We're presuming these hundred people are completely average in every way, correct? Now picture this: one hundred Shimuras against a charging, territorial, and bloodthirsty gorilla."
Did he just call me completely average in every way?! Shimura winced internally.
"I'm gonna have to stop you right there, Ayanokouji." Katou interrupted, holding up a hand. "Calling Shimura average is already a compliment. Anything more than that, now you've become delusional and you're just pushing it at that point."
"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something? What's with the verbal harassment against me this morning?" Shimura snapped. "You're not one to talk, especially when you're every bit as average as I am!"
Although not much about their appearances or personalities struck Ayanokouji as particularly unique or charming, if he had to choose between the two on who was more likely to be popular with the opposite sex, he'd probably lean more towards Katou. Despite his usually unkempt hair, there was a certain appeal in that kind of messiness—something a surprising amount of girls found attractive. Shimura, on the other hand, while not unattractive, lacked any distinct physical traits that would distinguish him from other boys.
Personality-wise, Shimura tended to keep to himself more compared to Katou and had more niche interests, which didn't exactly help his social visibility. Katou, although a bit slow-fwitted, was more extroverted and was more likely to interact with people outside of his usual social circle. That level of sociability added to his allure.
Of course, it wasn't as if Shimura was hated or disliked by his peers. If Ayanokouji had to guess, neither Shimura nor Katou really fit the "ikemen" archetype—the kind of handsome heartthrobs girls would swoon over and daydream about. Rather, to put it lightly, they were like background characters: familiar faces people saw every day that didn't stand out in any way. Respectable in their own ways—after all, it was the kind of reputation Ayanokouji hoped to maintain—but in terms of objective popularity, Katou likely held the slight edge, even if only by a small margin.
"Going back to the topic," Ayanokouji continued, "If one of the Shimuras were to get his arms ripped off or get killed in the process of fighting the gorilla, the brutality of that scene alone would be enough to paralyze most of them with fear. Witnessing firsthand what could happen to them if they provoked the gorilla further, naturally their resolve would be shaken. It's only natural—after seeing such a horrifying display, the rest would probably cower or even be willing to betray the others to ensure the odds of their survival. That's just human survival instincts."
Although Ayanokouji's arguments were grounded in facts, evidence, and knowledge he had garnered from some wildlife books he had read in his sparetime,, that didn't mean his conclusions were absolute. As idealistic as Shimura's claim about the "indomitable human spirit" was, he wasn't entirely wrong. After all, humans of the past had managed to survive without access to modern technology or advanced weaponry that the average person has now, even while facing countless deadly predators. They had preserved their species through adaptability, intelligence, and perseverance.
Of course, Ayanokouji acknowledged that it was a different era in a different time and place. Those humans probably had significantly different genetic and physical traits compared to the humans of the 21st century. While Shimura had provided him some context, the question still failed to account for all possible variables. Still, if Ayanokouji were to solely base his judgement on the information given, his conclusion wouldn't change.
That said, Ayanokouji didn't consider a human victory completely out of reach. Even the slimmest of possibilities deserved acknowledgement. Under the right circumstances, the right terrain and territory—it could be done. However, the environment and conditions would have to heavily favor the humans, and even then, the task would still be quite a strenuous one.
"So, are you satisfied with the logic behind my answer now, Shimura?" Ayanokouji turned to him.
"..." Shimura exhaled heavily, a look of surrender settling over his face. "Fine, I can't argue against you. You win, Katou."
"Sweet! Now hand over the money!" Shimura's eyes flickered with irritation, but he kept his word and withdrew a modest sum to give to the victorious Katou.
I see… so they didn't actually care about the value of my opinion. Ayanokouji thought to himself, mildly amused. They just wanted me to side with either one of them to settle a bet they must have had beforehand. In hindsight, it was clear he had been used as a tie-breaker or object of betting, not as an actual contributor to the discussion. I feel like I've been tricked. Still, despite that, he didn't think it was a waste of time and couldn't deny that it was an entertaining mental exercise. A thought-provoking experiment, even if it was born out of childish antics.
"Oh, by the way, Ayanokouji," Katou said, stuffing his money into his wallet. "By any chance, have you seen Tanaka around?"
"Hm… no, I don't think so."
He glanced at the seat beside him. Tanaka was technically his seatmate—and the main reason why he could never fully enjoy the window view of the classroom since he'd always be blocking it. The seat was currently vacant, but Tanaka's bag was still there, lazily shoved behind the table near the legs of his chair. That meant Tanaka had already arrived at school, but had not returned to class for some unknown reason.
"Ah, okay. He told me he was going to the toilet ten minutes ago, but he still hasn't come back yet." Katou sighed, as if this were nothing new.
Tanaka was part of their friend group, known for his constant drowsiness and a presence that exuded an aura of exhaustion and lethargy no matter where he went. No matter when or where you tried to talk to him, he always seemed as if he just rolled out of bed. If there were ever a human embodiment of the word "listlessness", it would undoubtedly be Tanaka. Although some people would probably find his indolent demeanor off-putting or even frustrating, Shimura and Katou had long since grown used to his lack of energy, Ayanokouji didn't mind either—in fact, he found Tanaka to be an oddly intriguing person in his own way.
"Welp, I guess we've got no choice then," Shimura shrugged, slumping back into his seat before pointing accusingly at the person who had cost him money. "It's your turn to retrieve Tanaka today."
"Huh? But I already did my part last Friday—"
"Uh, uh, uh!" Shimura cut him off, showing a finger in front of Ayanokouji's lips with an exaggerated shh. "I'm pretty sure it's your turn today. Rules are rules!"
Because of Tanaka's uncanny ability to fall asleep just about anywhere depending on his level of listlessness, the group had come up with a rotation system to ensure his laziness wouldn't get him in trouble with students, teachers, or other faculty members—or worse, unnoticed danger. Whenever Tanaka went missing without prior notice for ten to twenty minutes during school hours, it would fall to one of the three to scour the school, find him, and bring him back to where he's supposed to be.
Thankfully, Tanaka wasn't a completely unpredictable and unreadable force. He had a limited number of sleeping spots he preferred scattered around the school, so once you came to be aware of his habits, the job usually wasn't that difficult.
Still, Ayanokouji was sure he had done the last retrieval run the previous week. He narrowed his eyes at Shimura, who was grinning from ear to ear with barely concealed mischief.
I see. He must be trying to get back at me for siding with Katou earlier. What a childishly petty way to enact vengeance, Ayanokouji mused silently.
"Tick, tick, tick, Ayanokouji. Time doesn't just wait for anyone—not even for an annoyingly handsome bastard like you," Shimura said, his tone laced with hidden envy, smirking as he leaned back on his chair and rested his feet smugly on his desk, as if declaring himself the winner of an unacknowledged silent battle.
"If Tanaka doesn't make it back here when the bell rings, it'll be your fault, Ayanokouji!" Katou exclaimed, joining in the fun.
These two…
Ayanokouji hesitantly chose not to fight back and accepted the blatant injustice he was suffering at the of Shimura and Katou. He stood up from his seat to leave the classroom. Once outside, he grabbed his phone from his right pocket to check the remaining time before homeroom.
8:15…
That gave him about 10 to 15 minutes to find the ever-elusive Tanaka somewhere within this sprawling campus. Then again, their homeroom teacher had long become familiarized with Tanaka's comatose tendencies and often gave him more leeway than he arguably deserved. So realistically, Ayanokouji figured he could afford to be two to three minutes late without any issues.
Now, time to find out where he is… Ayanokouji pivoted on his heel and headed off—like a man on a mission.
He already had several ideas about where Tanaka might be, but he narrowed his choices down to four locations.
First, the bathroom. As Katou mentioned earlier, Tanaka had claimed he was going to the bathroom, so it wasn't unreasonable to assume he'd either somehow gotten stuck in a stall or had somehow fallen asleep in there. The former seemed less likely; while Tanaka's voice might've lacked energy, he wasn't a completely unnoticeable presence. As lazy as Tanaka was, he doubted he would let himself get stuck and would at least bang on the door or call out for help in such a sticky situation.
So that left only the latter—as farcical as it sounded. It was hard to imagine anyone could fall asleep in such a… private yet public space, especially during peak hours where the bathroom wasn't exactly the most hygienic place. But Tanaka was the exception. Ayanokouji had already caught him snoozing in one of the stalls on the second floor more than once, so it wasn't impossible.
So naturally, that was the first place he checked it was also the closest place to their classroom, after all.
When he arrived, the bathroom was empty. He glanced around, then ducked slightly to check beneath the stall doors.
No shoes.
All three stalls were vacant. He sighed in defeat. That rules this place out.
Sure, he could try and check the other bathrooms on different floors or in other sections of the building… but would Tanaka really have the will and determination to drag himself that far to go to the toilet? Unlikely. And even if this bathroom had been full earlier, Ayanokouji dismissed the thought—most boys weren't exactly known for long bathroom sessions, and Ayanokouji figured he wouldn't have enough time to inspect every bathroom in the school without coming to class late.
Ayanokouji left the bathroom, stood just outside the doorway, and crossed his arms in thought. That ruled out one possibility. Now onto the remaining ones.
The second location that came to his mind was the nurse's infirmary.
It wasn't uncommon for students to attempt to skip class by feigning illness—hoping the nurse would either let them lie down for a while or write them a sick note to excuse them from school for the rest of the day. Ayanokouji had witnessed Tanaka try the exact same tactic. Unfortunately for Tanaka, his performance was… subpar, at best. Either due to poor imagination or a complete lack of effort, he could never find a way to convince the school nurse, and as a result, his "concerns" were often met with a scolding or simply brushed off.
Besides, Ayanokouji figured the infirmary was probably still locked. He remembered seeing the school nurse on his walk to school earlier, and she had gone into one of the local supermarkets presumably for breakfast or other matters. She probably hadn't arrived at her office yet. In either case, the door wouldn't be open for a while.
Even if it was somehow unlocked, it would take serious guts—or utter foolishness—to try and fake being sick this early in the morning. Any student who pulled that kind of operation at 8 AM would just be asking to get caught red-handed, unless it was a genuine emergency. At that point, why not just stay home and have your parents send in a note or email to the school?
Ayanokouji shook his head. The infirmary was a dead end. Another location crossed off the list.
Now onto location three—the janitor's closet.
…Actually never mind.
The janitor's closet was crammed full of mops, brooms, and various other chemical cleaning agents used to maintain the school's hygiene and shine. It wouldn't exactly be the most comfortable to sleep—not unless you enjoyed the smell of bleach and ammonia burning your nostrils while you dozed off on cold, possibly dirty, hard tiles. On top of that, the closets were always locked, and you needed direct supervision and permission from a janitor just to even get in.
That left only one plausible location.
The canteen.
Ayanokouji's eyes opened slightly, as if a lightbulb had flickered over his head.
Specifically, he was referring to both the indoor and outdoor areas of the canteen. While the meals and snacks sold there weren't displayed before lunchtime, Tanaka probably wasn't there to eat. Even if he had skipped breakfast, Ohta—another friend in their circle—would undoubtedly have some spare sweet bread in his bag just in case Tanaka showed up to school on an empty stomach.
Thinking it through, it actually made perfect sense why Tanaka would choose the canteen.
Despite being open, the canteen was very rarely crowded at this hour. Most students, when they arrive at school before the designated time they're supposed to, prefer to stay in their classrooms, either engaging in idle chatter with their friends, tapping away at mobile games, or handling class responsibilities like preparing materials or carrying important papers for homeroom period. The few who did wander the place in the morning tended to be students who were cramming for quizzes or exams after not studying the day prior, loners who didn't quite mesh well with their other classmates, or those simply in search of silence before the chaos of the day.
Tanaka could be either in the indoor or outdoor sections, but Ayanokouji had a strong feeling he'd more likely be in the outdoor area—lying on the grassy field.
It offered the perfect view of the blue sky, something that could lull almost anyone into a sleepy trance. The slow drift of clouds, the warm morning sun casting a gentle light over your skin, and the soft, melodic, chirping of birds perched on nearby trees—it all created the perfect kind of ambient lullaby tailored to someone like Tanaka. A lazy breeze often blew through that spot too, rustling the grass just enough to make you feel like nature was tucking you in and accepting you as one of their own; like a baby being cradled into its mom's arms for the first time. Not that Ayanokouji remembered or knew what that felt like.
With newfound conviction, Ayanokouji turned and made his way downstairs.
However, before he could fully descend to the first floor, he froze mid step as a familiar figure came into view.
It was Ohta—a tall student with a lean build, broad shoulders, and a long neck, giving him a slightly imposing presence. He had long, light brown hair kept in a neat ponytail at the back of his head, with several strands falling naturally around his face. Unlike Katou's uniform which lacked a tie, Ohta's uniform was neatly worn and he had an upright posture, contributing to an air of maturity around him.
"Good morning, Ayanokouji," Ohta greeted as he waved his right hand to say hello. "Why are you going downstairs? Class starts in about ten minutes."
"Good morning, Ohta," Ayanokouji responded in kind. "Tanaka hasn't returned from his trip to the bathroom, so I'm trying to find where he could be before he ends up being late to class."
"Ah… so the usual, huh?"
Ayanokouji nodded in response.
Ohta heaved a heavy sigh, then patted Ayanokouji's shoulder—a gesture that conveyed sympathy more than anything. After all, who would know better than Ohta, who understood all too well the burden of being saddled with Tanaka duty.
"Alright then. I'll help you out. Let's both split up and search the places he might be in. That way we can save time and track him down faster."
"Actually, I don't think that'll be necessary." Ayanokouji took a step forward, motioning for Ohta to walk beside him. "I think I've got a pretty good idea on where he is. Follow me."
As they made their way to the canteen, Ohta brought up a few light topics to fill the time as they searched for Tanaka.
"What did you eat for breakfast today?"
"Did you finish the math homework?"
"Would strawberry or melon-flavored yogurt fit the weather today?"
Those kinds of random questions came up as they chatted casually.
"I'm surprised you came later today," Ayanokouji remarked, matching Ohta's pace. "You usually get to school earlier than I do. Either that, or we meet halfway."
"Ah, sorry about that. On the way here, I realized I left my pencil case back at home, so I ran back home all the way to get it. Luckily, I wasn't too far away from home yet, so it didn't take too long."
"I see… so even you can forget things too, huh, Ohta?"
In Ayanokouji's eyes, Ohta was nothing short of a model student despite not having the typical looks of the archetype. He was never late to class, always turned in his homework on time, never hesitated to lend a helping hand to the teachers when asked, and treated everyone with kindness. If it weren't for his naturally intense expression—one that often gave people the wrong impression—he'd probably be more popular with the girls.
As their conversation wound down, they arrived at their destination. The two glanced at each other, exchanging a brief look—a silent mutual understanding between Tanaka caretakers. With a nod, they split up. Ohta headed toward the indoor area, while Ayanokouji made his way outside.
As he stepped onto the grass outside, he took a moment to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the nature around him. A year ago, he wouldn't have believed it if someone told him he'd ever gain the privilege of enjoying something as simple and mundane as watching the sunrise each morning after getting out of bed. It's not as if Ayanokouji had never seen the sun—he'd studied about it before through teachings from his tutors and books he was tasked to read. Yet, despite all the knowledge he had about it, his contact with the outside world had been severely limited up until only a few months ago.
Back in the White Room, everything that tried to resemble nature seemed artificial. No matter how much money was poured into its creation, operation, and maintenance, it could never replicate the same sensation he was feeling now. As he felt the soft razors of real grass brushing against his shoes, it gave him an authentic experience that the White Room never could. It was as if mother nature was extending its hand towards him—gently tugging at his feet, enticing him to walk deeper into its embrace. For once, the world didn't feel like a hollow simulation or a blank canvas. It felt colorful…
As Ayanokouji enjoyed the scenery in front of him, he spotted a distant figure resting under a tree. From afar, anyone would have might have panicked—assuming the person had fainted from the heat, or, worst case scenario, collapsed lifelessly out in the open. But Ayanokouji recognized that familiar physique and ever-distinct short, fluffy black hair. He knew all too well it was Tanaka, slumbering peacefully in the shade.
He approached slowly, attempting to be careful to not startle him, and paused to take a look at Tanaka's sleeping face.
At that moment, Tanaka looked like a sleeping angel that was cast out of heaven. Despite how dull and lifeless those eyes could look sometimes, the uninspiring demeanor, and a personality that not everyone could handle, there was no denying the fact that Tanaka was physically attractive. From a distance, nothing particularly stood out about him. But once you got a closer view, you'd realize his features were actually above average —at least compared to most boys in Sakura High.
Ayanokouji crouched down, lightly poking his cheek in an attempt to wake him.
"Tanaka," he called gently.
…
No response.
He continued to poke his cheeks multiple times.
Still no answer.
Frowning slightly, he reached for Tanaka's hand and placed the pads of his index and middle fingers on the inside of Tanaka's wrist, below the base of his thumb. It was beating steadily—nothing to worry about. He was just fast asleep.
Seeing the fallen leaf beside Tanaka, a mischievous idea sparked.
For once, he was about to pull a lighthearted prank on someone.
He picked up said leaf, crumpled it, tore it into small pieces, and held them in his palm. Then, with a quick breath, he blew the fragments of the leaf onto Tanaka's face. The wind helped scatter the bits, some landing gently on his cheeks, some drifting onto his lips, and a few even resting on his eyelids.
Tanaka, feeling the bitter taste and rough texture of leaves on his mouth, slowly opened his eyes—only to be met with Ayanokouji's face hovering just above him,
"Good morning, Tanaka," Ayanokouji greeted calmly.
Tanaka tried to mouth his words, but all that came out was a silent, trailing mutter—something about, "Mor… sunshine…today… mmm…." Ayanokouji couldn't make sense of his mutterings. Was he already awake… or just sleep talking?
Perhaps I should resort to more… extreme measures to get him fully conscious. Ayanokouji thought.
But before Ayanokouji could do any further, Tanaka's eyes finally blinked fully open. For a couple seconds, they just stared into each other's eyes.
"I see… it seems an angel has come to bless me and transport me to a land where weekdays don't exist…" Tanaka murmured in dramatic fashion, extending his arms as if a child asking their parents for 'uppies'. "Please take care of me and take me away from this temporary abode of unnecessary work and complicated responsibilities."
"...While I'm flattered by your words," Ayanokouji said as he gently brushed Tanaka's hands away, "We still need to get you to class so you don't show up late."
"Just five more minutes, Mom…"
"Do I look like your mom—" He couldn't finish as he was cut off by a long and uncontrollable yawn escaping Tanaka's mouth. His body slumped back onto the bed of grass, treating it like a five star luxury mattress from a five star hotel, looking like the most peaceful and undisturbed man in the universe.
Ayanokouji sighed, already predicting where this was going. He would probably have to carry Tanaka all the way to class. He didn't particularly mind though—paired with Ayanokouji's extraordinary strength and Tanaka's unsurprisingly light frame, it wouldn't be a difficult task for him.
But just as he moved to try and scoop him up in a princess carry, he heard footsteps approaching him from behind.
"Ayanokouji, any luck on your si—" Ohta's voice came to a halt as he caught the sight of Tanaka passing out blissfully underneath the tree. He paused, staring with a mix of disbelief and resignation.
"What are you doing, Tanaka?" Ohta asked flatly.
"Ohta… Ayanokouji…" Tanaka mumbled, eyes still half-lidded. "The weather's nice and there's a pleasant breeze. The little birds are making their cute chirping sounds. Perhaps people nowadays have forgotten how wonderful nature is..."
He spread his arms across the grass beneath him, as if trying to soak it all in.
"It's a waste to not experience it with every inch of your body, like so, don't you think—" His words drifted off again as he stretched both hands skyward mid-sentence and let out another long yawn.
RING!!!
The school bell echoed throughout the campus, signaling the start of classes in Sakura High.
Realizing Tanaka wasn't going up anytime soon, Ohta crouched down, picked him up, and slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"You can go ahead if you want," Ohta offered. "There's no need for us both to be potentially marked late."
"It's fine," Ayanokouji replied, turning back to the direction of the indoor canteen. "We're classmates anyway, and I'm sure our teacher will understand once he sees Tanaka being carried over like a dangled corpse."
"...Fair enough," Ohta said with a nod.
The two then picked up their pace, hoping to make it to class before their teacher did.
Fortunately, they weren't the only ones cutting it close. They spotted some students along the way hurriedly trying to swap their outdoor shoes for indoor shoes, some running up the stairs two steps at a time, and others dashing through the halls with still-warm toasted bread dangling from their mouths.
While punctuality was a major tenet of Japanese culture—to show respect to the group or person who had dedicated time and energy out of their busy schedule for you, Sakura High was relatively lenient and forgiving. As long as students weren't too late, it was often overlooked by teachers.
After a brisk walk, they finally reached the front of Class 1-F. Ayanokouji slid the door open, and the two of them stepped inside.
"Phew… looks like we made it just in time," Ohta sighed in relief.
Their classmates hadn't yet returned to their assigned seats. Some were still huddled around their friends' tables, some still glued to their phones, and some still napping on their tables as if it was a Sunday morning.
As they made their way towards Tanaka's desk, Katou and Shimura looked up to greet them.
"Yo Ohta, Tanaka," Katou called out casually.
"Good job retrieving Tanaka as always," Shimura said, resting his chin on his palms.
"Yeah, morning," Ohta returned the greeting.
He carefully lowered Tanaka from his shoulder, gently laying him into his seat without banging his head on Tanaka's desk.
"My desk…" Tanaka muttered, blinking slowly as his eyes settled on the familiar wooden texture below him. He turned his head towards Ohta and Ayanokouji.
"Thanks again, Ayanokouji, Ohta…" He mumbled with a barely audible voice, before folding his arms and drifting off into sleep once more.
"No prob,"
"You're welcome," Ayanokouji added nonchalantly.
"Seriously, Tanaka, why don't you use your own legs for once?" Shimura asked with jokingly exaggerated exasperation.
"Welp, this is Tanaka we're talking about here," Katou chuckled, hands resting behind his head.
Although Tanaka's excessive weariness struck many as odd, Ayanokouji didn't particularly mind. From the very first moment they'd met, Tanaka had always been this way — listless, quiet, moving through life easily like a leaf drifting through an open window.
In a way, they were polar opposites of each other.
While both could be described as emotionally subdued or even dull at first glance, Ayanokouji had spent his life surviving through relentless hard work. Tanaka, on the other hand, seemed to coast through each day by doing whatever he pleased without caring what anyone thought of him—usually slacking off or sleeping, without a care in the world.
And yet, perhaps that's what made their friendship work.
Besides, it's not like it was in Ayanokouji's place to try and scold someone and force them out of the pace to which they lived life by, especially not when everyone had come to terms with who Tanaka was. And above all,, Ayanokouji had made an important vow he intended to honor: He would live out his high school days quietly, free from unwanted chaos and unneeded attention.
He wanted to savor this boring and fragile life—one that no longer demanded him to always fight or struggle to even survive.
He wouldn't take it for granted.
Because more than anything else…
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka just wanted to live in peace.
---
AN:
Good morning, afternoon, evening, or night where you're from!
I hope you enjoyed the 1st chapter!
This has been a crossover idea gnawing in my mind for months now, so I thought "why not make my ideas reality myself?"
First and foremost, although this fic doesn't really require you to read year 2 of COTE or watch/read the Tanaka Kun is Always Listless anime/manga, I highly recommend that you do both. Though, I will admit I'm not the biggest fan of year 2 COTE, but Tanaka-kun, whether you're watching it to read this fic or not is quite the enjoyable anime.
Some questions you guys may have:
Q: Will chapters be as long as this one?
A: It largely depends on the importance, but they will vary. From what I've written so far, each chapter averages around 4.5k-5k words.
Q: How many chapters are you going to release per week?
A: 3-4 chapters per week. 5 if I have enough free time.
Q: Will the pacing of the fic be slow?
A:Depends on what you define as "slow", but in its general definition, probably yes. However, the beginning is meant to be slow paced and the coming chapters will probably have a faster pace.
Anyways, that's all I have to say for now. Thank you for your attention, and please leave down any comments. Any kind of criticism, praise, or support is greatly appreciated!
I shall cya'll in the next chappie
Word Count: 8450 Words