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BSCOTE 7: The Stupid Siblings
🕑 Added 2025-06-16 10:47:40 +0000 UTC
“There are more people here than expected,” Ayanokoji remarked.
“I guess you can make more friends here then haha,” Ryuji teased him.
Ayanokoji and Ryuji walked side by side while Horikita trailed a few steps behind, not wanting it to seem like she was with them.
What a misguided child.
Ryuji shook his head inwardly with a wry smile.
After class had ended for the day, Ayanokoji, Ryuji and Horikita went to the gymnasium. Nearly all of the students assembled there were freshmen. About a hundred people waited around. They stood near the back of the room, waiting for the fair to begin. While waiting, they glanced over the pamphlet that students received upon entering the gymnasium. The pamphlet contained detailed information about club activities.
“I wonder if this school has famous clubs. For example, something like karate,” Horikita said.
“Every club seems to operate on a high level. It looks like many athletes and club members here are famous throughout the nation,” Ayanokoji replied.
Even though this school didn’t seem like a top-tier institution for activities like baseball and ballet, the clubs here certainly looked impressive.
“These facilities are significantly more substantial than ordinary schools. Look, they even have O2 chambers. The equipment here is so luxurious, it puts the professionals’ stuff to shame. Oh, but it looks like they don’t have a karate club after all,” he noted.
“I see,” Horikita responded blandly.
Ayanokoji looked at her. “What? Were you interested in karate or something?” he asked.
“No, not particularly,” she replied.
“Have you trained in any kind of fighting sport?” Ryuji asked.
“Yes,”
Her response was once again bland, and Ryuji didn't continue. Slowly she'd warm up, without even realising it.
“It seems like it’ll be hard for newcomers to get into the athletic clubs,” Ayanokoji said. “Even if a first-year managed to break in, they still might just be a benchwarmer forever. That doesn’t sound like much fun.”
Everything around here seemed far too orderly.
“Wouldn’t that depend on one’s efforts, though? Surely by training for one or two years, anyone could get in and play,” Horikita countered.
“It doesn't work like that.” Ryuji shook his head, “Even passionate sports have their politics. And manipulation aside some people naturally don't have the talent or mindset that would grant them a secure position. No amount of training could overcome that.”
“Training, huh?” Ayanokoji didn’t think he’d be able to put in that amount of effort, no matter how desperate he was.
“Does the concept of training even exist for someone like you who seemingly wants to avoid trouble?” Horikita said.
“What exactly does me not liking trouble have to do with that?” Ayanokoji asked.
“Oh?” Ryuji seemed interested.
While he knew most of the plot points up till Volume 12 of the Second Year, most trivial conversations were not something he could remember.
“It's nothing,” Ayanokoji shook his head, not wanting to explain. It would be a hassle.
Just then—
“Thank you all for waiting, first-year students. We will now begin the club fair. A representative from each club will explain their function. My name is Tachibana, the student council secretary and the club fair’s organizer. It’s nice to meet you all.”
After Tachibana delivered the opening remarks, representatives from each club quickly lined up on a stage. It was quite a diverse crowd. The club representatives included everything from burly athletes in judo uniforms to students dressed in beautiful kimonos.
“Hey, if you want to get a fresh start, why not try joining an athletic club? The judo club looks good, doesn’t it? That upperclassman looks kind, and I’m sure he’d encourage you,” Ryuji suggested.
“What do you mean ‘kind’?! He looks like a gorilla! He’ll kill me for sure!” Ayanokoji snapped.
“He’ll probably talk passionately about how easy judo is,” Horikita added.
“Cut it out!” Ayanokoji retorted.
Sheesh. Ayanokoji had thought they were having a decent conversation, but she’d done nothing but stick it to him, and worse Ryuji was joining her.
“Even if I wanted to join, the athletic clubs all look really intimidating. I get the impression they don’t accept beginners,” Ayanokoji said.
“Beginners should be welcomed. The more members a club has, the more money they receive from the school. That’s how they’re able to get better training equipment,” Horikita explained.
“Sounds like they’re using the beginners for the money…” Ayanokoji muttered.
“It would be ideal to gather many new members as a budgetary increase, and then simply to bench them the rest of the time, like phantom members. If you were skilled at manipulation, that is,” Horikita said, “Summarising what Ryuji mentioned earlier.”
“What an unpleasant world… You both have a pretty strange way of thinking,” Ayanokoji remarked.
A girl dressed in archery gear stepped onto the stage. “Hello, my name is Hashigaki, the captain of the archery club. Many students may be under the impression that archery is an old-fashioned, simple activity, but it is actually a fun and rewarding sport. We welcome beginners with open arms. If you’re interested, please consider joining.”
“Hey, look, they seem to be welcoming newcomers. Why don’t you try joining? In order to increase their budget, that is,” Ayanokoji said.
“I hate the idea of joining a club solely for that reason! Besides, athletic clubs are just gatherings of people with nothing better to do. Also, I probably wouldn’t have fun if I didn’t know anyone there. I’d end up quitting in the blink of an eye,” Horikita replied.
“Isn’t that simply your twisted personality talking?” Ayanokoji asked.
“Yeah, you’re absolutely right. But athletic clubs are a no-go,” she confirmed.
Ayanokoji thought about joining a nice, calm, quiet club.
As the seniors introduced their respective clubs one after the other, Ayanokoji saw Horikita suddenly tense. She looked at the stage, her face pale.
“What’s the matter?” Ayanokoji asked.
She didn’t even seem to notice him anymore. Ayanokoji followed her line of sight to the stage but found nothing of note there. Just the representative of the school baseball team, dressed in uniform, giving his introduction. Had she fallen in love with him at first sight? No, Ayanokoji doubted it. Surprise? Disgust? Or maybe she was overjoyed? To be honest, Horikita’s expression was complex and hard to read.
“Horikita, what’s the—” Before Ayanokoji could ask again, Ryuji raised his hand, stopping him. Ayanokoji looked at Ryuji in puzzlement but didn't say anything further.
Ryuji's eyes gleaned as he glanced at the entranced Horikita.
Ayanokoji noticed this but said nothing. He too observed Horikita, but for an entirely different reason.
“..…”
She kept staring intently at the stage.
The baseball team’s introduction wasn’t any more compelling than the others. All things considered, the greeting was rather stock, no matter their schedule, appeal, or how welcoming they were to newcomers.
It wasn’t just the baseball club. Nearly every club’s introduction was similarly ordinary. If anything surprised Ayanokoji about the fair, it was the substantial number of minor liberal arts-related clubs and organizations, such as the tea ceremony club or the calligraphy club. Also, he was surprised that only a minimum of three people were needed to form a new club.
Every time one club finished and the next sprang up, the first-year students talked among themselves about what they thought. Ayanokoji noticed that the gymnasium’s atmosphere was rather lively. Each club’s representatives, including their supervising instructors, continued to explain their organizations to the unruly first-year students without a hint of displeasure.
Perhaps they were just that desperate for more members, even if their ranks only increased by one.
As the upperclassmen finished their introductions, they walked off the stage and headed toward an area where some plain tables had been set up. Probably a reception area designed to accept new members. Eventually, everyone walked off until only one person remained. Everyone focused their attention upon him, and Ayanokoji realized that Horikita had been staring at that specific person this whole time.
He appeared to be about 170 centimeters in height, so he wasn’t very tall. He was slender, with sleek black hair. He wore sharp glasses and had a piercing, calculating gaze. Standing in front of the microphone, he calmly looked around at the first-year students. What was his club, and what in the world was he going to say? Ayanokoji’s interest had been piqued.
Unfortunately, his expectations were dashed immediately. The student didn’t say a single word. Maybe he was drawing a blank? Or perhaps he was so nervous that he couldn’t speak?
“Do your best!”
“Did you forget to bring your notecards?”
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
The first-year students hurled comments at him. However, the upperclassman stood on the stage calmly, without trembling. The laughter and comments didn’t seem to faze him. When the laughter had reached a crescendo, it suddenly died. He wore an apathetic expression.
“What’s with this guy?” remarked an astonished student. The gymnasium buzzed with people talking, yet the boy on the stage still did not move. He simply stood there, quiet and motionless, staring fixedly at the crowd. Horikita stared back at the student with an intense gaze, not breaking her line of sight even for a second.
The relaxed atmosphere gradually changed, and things took an unexpected turn. It was as if some chemical reaction had taken place. An unbelievably tense, quiet mood gripped the entire gymnasium. Even though no orders had been given, the silence was so terrible that it seemed to have gagged everyone. Not a single student looked able to open his or her mouth.
The silence continued for about thirty seconds or so… Then, the student started his speech, slowly scanning the crowd.
“I’m the student council president. My name is Horikita Manabu,” he said.
Horikita? Ayanokoji glanced at the Horikita next to him. Perhaps they just happened to have the same surname. Or, maybe…
His thoughts began to swirl, he began to analyse against his own wishes.
Considering Horikita's usual behaviour, her acceptance of his suggestion to attend the club fair together did strike me as odd but I chalked it off to curiosity. Now looking at the current scene it seems like Ryuji too knew of Horikita's personality and intentionally brought up the Student Council President’s matter. Did he praise Horikita Manabu to gain her favor?
Ayanokoji paused for a second.
Maybe he was thinking too much but if he was correct...
Is he trying to get close to Horikita? Why? Beauty? Or…
He remembered the scene from yesterday when Kushida's suspicious approach had left him baffled. Her eyes showed subtle desperation when talking about Horikita. Adding Ryuji's intentional provocation…
As an ordinary student, Ayanokoji felt interested in his fellow classmates' relationships.
What's left to determine is if Yamamoto is pursuing Horikita out of his own desire or for some benefit from Kushida.
Ayanokoji paused again, this time for a few seconds longer.
…Why should I care?
Ultimately, he reigned his curiosity in.
In a month everything would be clear. He wondered if anyone had noticed the eerie details hidden within the first introduction Chabashira-sensei had given.
The unsightly amount of surveillance cameras, the behaviour of the senior students towards Class D students, the free meals…
If his suspicions were correct this school was far from normal.
“The student council is looking to recruit potential candidates among the first-year students to replace the graduating third years. Although no special qualifications are required for candidacy, we humbly ask that those considering application not be involved in other club activities. We generally do not accept students involved elsewhere.”
He spoke in a soft tone, but the tension around them was so thick it felt like you could cut it with a knife. He had managed to silence over a hundred new students in that spacious gymnasium. Of course, it wasn’t his position as student council president that granted him this deference. That was simply Horikita Manabu’s power. His presence dominated everyone around him.
“Furthermore, we in the student council do not wish to appoint anyone who possesses a naive outlook. Not only would such a person not be elected, he or she would sully the sanctity of this school. It is the student council’s right and duty to enforce and amend the rules, but the school expects more than that. We gladly welcome those of you who understand this.”
He didn’t pause even once during his eloquent speech. Immediately after finishing, he hopped off the stage and left the gymnasium. None of the first-year students could utter a single word as they watched him go. They didn’t know what would’ve happened if they’d tried to talk. Everyone in the room shared the same thought, apparently.
“Thank you all for coming. The club fair has ended. We will now open the reception area to anyone interested in signing up. Also, registration will be open until the end of April, so if any student wishes to join at a later date, we ask that you please bring the application form directly to the club you wish to join.”
Thanks to the laid-back organizer, the tension in the air dissipated.
Afterward, the third-year students who’d introduced their respective clubs started taking applications.
“…………”
Horikita remained still as a statue, giving no sign she would budge.
Her eyes seemed lost.
Ayanokoji pondered over her behaviour when all of a sudden he was called out.
“Yo, Ayanokouji, Yamamoto. You came, huh?”
As Ayanokoji was lost in thought, someone called out to him and Ryuji. Sudo. Their classmates Ike and Yamauchi were also with him.
“Oh, hey, you three. Looks like you guys are getting along well, huh?” Ayanokoji responded, feeling a bit envious of Sudo.
“So, did you and Ryuji join a club, too?”
“Oh, no, we just came to check things out. Wait, ‘too’? Did you join a club, Sudo?” Ayanokoji asked.
“Yeah. I’ve been playing basketball ever since elementary school. I thought I’d join the team here,” Sudo replied.
Ayanokoji had thought Sudou was athletic, judging from his physique. Basketball was clearly his game.
“What about you two?” Ayanokoji asked Ike and Yamauchi.
“We just came because we felt it might be fun, you know? Besides, we thought we might have a fateful encounter afterward,” Ike said. He glanced at Ryuji feeling a bit miffed, “Dude why not share some tips? Kikyou-chan seems to like you more than us.”
“I wish,” Ryuji shook his head bitterly, “We were talking yesterday and she accidentally slipped, I caught her midway so she's just more friendly towards me out of gratitude.”
Ike, Yamauchi and Sudo were surprised by his words; they looked at him with acceptance, finding him much more acceptable.
“Tsk tsk you lucky dog, hey did you… y'know, touch those parts while helping her up?” Yamauchi clicked his tongue before shifting to a horny look, mind filled with obscene imagination.
“I didn't dare,” Ryuji quickly shook his hands, “If I accidentally got on her bad side wouldn't it be social death?”
“Well, you're quite right about that.” Sudo grinned in amusement.
Ayanokoji watched the interaction between Ryuji and the three enviously. How had Ryuji turned their jealousy into friendship so fast?
“So what brings you two here then?” Ryuji asked Ike and Yamauchi.
Ike and Yamauchi exchanged glances before rubbing their hands together like greasy middle-aged virgins, “We're searching for a fateful encounter.”
“What do you mean, ‘fateful encounter’?” Ayanokoji asked.
He wanted Ike to explain his rather odd-sounding goal. Ike crossed his arms and responded proudly, “I want to get my first girlfriend in Class D. That’s my goal. That’s why I’m keeping my eyes open for an encounter.”
Apparently, Ike considered having a girlfriend to be of the utmost priority.
“Also, I have to say, that student council president was something else. He was so imposing. I got the feeling he ruled the place, you know?” Ike said.
“I know, right? He made everyone shut up without saying a word. That kinda stuff is impossible,” Ayanokoji replied.
“Yeah. Oh, by the way, I made a group chat for the guys yesterday.”
Ike took out his phone. “Do you guys want to join in too? It’s pretty handy.”
“Huh? Me? Is that okay?” Ayanokoji asked.
“Of course it’s okay. We’re all in Class D together, after all.”
That was a rather unexpected proposal. Ayanokoji was happy to be invited to the group chat. Finally, he’d found the perfect chance to make friends!
However, when he took out his cell phone to exchange contact information, Horikita disappeared into the crowd. Worried about her, he stopped what he was doing.
“What’s wrong?” Ike asked.
“Oh, nothing. You ready?” Ayanokoji replied.
He returned to his phone and exchanged contact information with Ike and the other guys. Horikita was free to do whatever she wanted, and Ayanokoji didn’t have the right to stop her. For a moment, he’d felt like following her, but in the end, he decided not to.
“Oh! I see someone I know, you guys catch up, I'll clock in later! Cya!” Ryuji commented quickly and left, disappearing amongst the crowd.
“Huh?” Ike was bewildered, “That was fast…” he murmured.
“Fucking sly dog!” Yamauchi gritted his teeth and the rest looked at him in confusion.
Yamauchi felt miserable seeing their stupid expressions and sighed, “Don't you understand? If he bolted so fast this ‘someone I know’ must definitely be a girl! That guy didn't even bother inviting us together… a traitor! I tell you!”
Understanding dawned on Ike and Sudo’s faces while Ayanokoji was speechless.
Just a quick glance told him that Ryuji had followed after Horikita.
Though he didn't care, he enjoyed the sudden group of friends.
This is the life of an ordinary high schooler!
He cheered on the inside.
…
Ryuji took small but fast steps.
He bumped into numerous people on the way and could only apologise inwardly. Once Horikita was in his sight again he slowed down.
Horikita was in a weird state.
She was walking a few steps then stopping abruptly, like a dysfunctional machine. Ryuji was puzzled, he tiptoed to look ahead, his height of 175cm proving to be a bit of a hassle.
So that's it.
Horikita was obviously following the Elder Horikita but the popular Elder Horikita was often stopped and forced into small conversations by different students. This in turn made Horikita wait.
Ryuji didn't alert her and simply mimicked her movements.
After about eleven minutes his tailing proved to be worthwhile.
Out of the building, Tachibana, Elder Horikita and Horikita were gathered in a somewhat secluded alleyway. Ryuji was a bit far away so he couldn't hear their conversation. He didn't want to risk getting caught either because that would ruin his future plans.
Elder Horikita did not need to know about his existence yet.
Ryuji began to wait and much to his surprise the conversation didn't even last a minute before Tachibana and Elder Horikita left.
Facing Horikita's back he couldn't tell her expression, but the departing Tachibana had a complex emotion on her face filled with hesitation while the Elder Horikita held an impassive face that could rival Ayanokoji.
After they left, Ryuji quickly entered the alleyway.
He stood behind the oblivious Horikita who was trembling and had her hands clenched into tight balls.
He tapped her shoulder.
“Huh? You!” Horikita startled, turned around before taking a few cautious steps back.
Ryuji looked at her and a small smile adorned his face.
Her current expression, eyes filled with tears and impatience, was exactly what he was hoping for.
“What are you doing here? Did you follow me!?”
Horikita immediately questioned him in an aggressive manner.
Comments
CrowThingz
These 3 should also get expelled in this version
CrowThingz
Mc is so silent
