15 Chapter 15

That night.

[Host helped Horikita face reality. Host has earned 2 spins.]

'What?!?! How?'

[... Horikita realized that if 'someone as dumb as Syl' could be recognized by Manabu then she should reevaluate her situation.]

'...'

[Anyway!]

'... that friendless loser!'

[Would host like to spin?]

'YES!!'

Syl took out his anger by spinning the wheel! Truly a gambling addict! What a lovely sight to see! Gacha takes another victim!

[Host has received! (Acting talent) [From Yutori Kokorogi] x1, (Indomitable spirit) x1]

"Good! I deserve this!"

Syl suddenly glowed yellow and felt slightly different. He now felt like nothing could stop him! He would never yield in the face of adversity! He could do anything! He also felt his work ethic go way up! But only for things he really wanted to do. No studying yet…

What a foolish kid!

Syl was going over his new rewards when he suddenly received a text.

[I would like to meet up with you.] -Kushida

An unexpected encounter!

Just kidding! This was super predictable!

But Syl was still shocked! He forgot all about that whole mess with Kushida! Even though he has a memory boost from the system! Maybe his memory was just that bad before…

Or maybe he was just an idiot!

Both were very feasible…

Later that day, Syl made his way to a cafeteria.

He spotted Ayanokoji and Kushida sitting at a table. Not saying a word to each other.

It looked really awkward.

Syl ignored the awkward atmosphere and happily made his way over.

"How are my two favourite classmates doing on this fine day?" He asked with a smile.

"Great! I was just talking to Ayanokoji about the upcoming midterms. I heard that Horikita was trying to make a study group, but ended up failing." Kushida said as she stood up to great Syl.

Syl chuckled. "I guess even she isn't perfect."

"Definitely not!" Kushida replied with a smile.

Syl turned to Ayanokoji and spoke loudly. "I'm surprised Ike hasn't killed you yet! You're so lucky! You were able to touch Kushida's b-"

Kushida clamped her hand down on Syl's mouth, muffling his next words.

"Haha! We don't need to talk about that right now, do we?" Kushida asked with a dangerous smile.

Syl tilted his head. "Isn't that why you called me? I thought you two might even start dating!"

Kushida grit her teeth. "Hahaha! What a funny joke! Please sit down!"

Syl smiled inwardly and took his seat. Kushida was too easy to piss off! Plus she couldn't do anything about it! This was so much fun!

Syl sat down in the empty seat that was left for him.

Kushida followed suit and took her seat as well, taking a sip from her mug.

She finally finished her sip before looking at the two boys and commanding. "Now choose."

"..." Neither of them replied for a few seconds.

Kushida cleared her throat. "I asked you to choose."

"Well, actually you demanded…" Syl trailed off.

"Just choose."

"..." Both boys stayed silent for a while.

Finally Syl leaned in toward Ayanokoji.

"What are we choosing?"

"Kushida or Horikita."

Syl nodded in understanding.

"..." Neither one said anything for a while.

Syl leaned back in.

"Uhh… what about them?"

"Which one to side with." Ayanokoji answered.

Syl looked lost in thought. "... I see"

"..." Some more time passed.

Syl once again asked Ayanokoji a question.

"Why?"

"Didn't you tell him anything?!" Kushida practically shouted.

"You told me not to tell anyone…" Ayanokoji replied.

"... you actually didn't tell anyone? Not even Syl, who saw us?"

Ayanokoji shook his head in denial.

Kushida was suspicious. Maybe he really wouldn't tell anyone…

No! She couldn't take the risk! She had to protect her new school life!

She looked at Syl. "I'm going to expel Horikita."

"... cool. Good luck with that."

He got up like he was gonna leave.

"Where are you going?" Kushida raised her voice, still speaking in a cute accent.

"Home." Syl shrugged.

"Does that mean you're my enemy?"

Syl sighed and sat back down.

"That's what I thought. Someone like you couldn't be my enemy." Kushida snarled before immediately smiling again.

"Yea, yea whatever. What would you like Mrs. Angel?"

"I'm not a Mrs."

"... and you ARE an angel? It was obviously a hyperbole…"

Kushida pouted cutely. "That's not very nice…"

Syl was expressionless. Kushida's charms were completely useless on him. After all, before they died, his parents always told him, 'don't stick your dick in crazy.'!

What a weird life lesson to learn from your parents…

Anyway!

"So what do you want, miss Angel?" Syl asked again.

"Pick a side. Horikita or me." Kushida said again, she was very confident that Syl would take her side. After all, who would take the side of the unsociable mean girl over the angel everyone loves?

Only a loser!

Unfortunately for her… Syl was a loser!

"Why should I pick either?" Syl asked.

"We can't coexist at this school."

"Why?"

"Horikita knows too much."

Syl looked at Ayanokoji. "Does she think we're dumb?"

Ayanokoji didn't respond, although he did completely understand Syl's line of thinking. Obviously both of them also already knew too much! They would 100% be Kushida's next target!

Kushida spoke up. "What do you mean?"

Syl shook his head, he was sure Ayanokoji also understood. "Nevermind. What are we even picking sides for?"

"I will expel Horikita Suzune."

Syl laughed! "Hahaha! Good one! Seriously thought, I have something to do soon, so please keep the jokes to a minimum."

"I'm serious!"

"... yeah. Good luck with that one." Syl was about to get up to leave again when Kushida tightly grabbed his wrist and dragged him back.

Syl gasped. "Stop! Now Ike and Yamauchi are gonna kill me as well! I gotta wash my hands! They can tell by your scent! If they smell me I'm dead! We'll both be dead, Ayanokoji!"

"Why me?" He asked.

"There's no way I'm going down alone! If I get caught, you're coming with me! That's what friends are for, right?"

"... is that so?" Ayanokoji pondered why friends were such a troublesome thing. He reluctantly decided he had to help Syl out, otherwise he would be dragged down too.

"Kushida, could you please explain what exactly you are asking of us?" Ayanokoji finally spoke up.

Kushida smiled. "It seems you two are finally understanding your positions. I have the support of all our classmates after all…"

Syl hummed. Did she really? Syl was a pretty social dude, he had a bunch of friends in the class. Sudo, Ike, Yamauchi, Hirata, Ayanokoji, and a few others. He was also on pretty good terms with most of the girls, especially after he talked to a bunch of them about makeup. He was also pretty sure Nene had a crush on him.

Sure Kushida might know more people and be seen as an angel, but that's a double edged sword. Being the class's angel means you can only be nice. Which makes attacking others really hard. She would have to accuse Syl of something in order to gain the class's support and Syl had a feeling that things wouldn't go exactly as she wanted.

Alas, he would never say this out loud.

Neither would Ayanokoji who was sitting right next to Syl and thinking the exact same thing.

Kushida continued on. "... I am going to expel Horikita from this school."

"Wouldn't that be detrimental to the class?" Ayanokoji asked.

"I don't care about reaching class A." Kushida shrugged.

"Then why would we help you?"

"Because I can destroy this class with just a few words. Plus, I have no reason not to reach class A. Once I expel who I need to I promise I will do everything I can to reach class A with everyone."

Ayanokoji nodded. "But why do you need to expel Horikita? She doesn't even seem to remember you."

"But what if she does? I just can't have someone who might know about me walking around and threatening my school life."

Syl chimed in. "Why not write up a contract? Get Chabashira to verify it. Something like, if Horikita ever reveals anything then she will be instantly expelled."

"Do you really think she would sign that?" Kushida asked.

"You'd be surprised." Syl replied.

"Either way, it won't work, it's too stressful for me. I need to have complete peace of mind."

"So you are 100% set on expelling her?" Syl asked.

"Yes."

Syl sighed. "Well, good luck."

"Why?"

"Cause you're gonna need it." Syl leaned back in his chair, seemingly uninterested.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kushida asked. Ayanokoji was interested too, although he didn't show it on his face.

"Well, for one. She's better than you."

"What?" Kushida asked in an eerie voice.

Her tone was so cold it could freeze Steve Rogers!

"She's better than you. At literally everything." Syl said with a smirk on his face as he put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

"She. Is. Not!" Kushida spat out.

"She is. You know it yourself, you're no match for her." Syl said, as he opened an eye to peek at Ayanokoji's reaction.

Ayanokoji saw this and felt like Syl was testing him for some reason. Especially because Syl completely ignored Kushida.

"She's a loner! She doesn't have a single friend!" Kushida screamed.

"That's not true. At least 0.5." Syl said as he pointed at Ayanokoji.

"We aren't friends…" Ayanokoji denied.

"That's why I said 0.5. You're at least acquaintances." Syl smirked. He bested Ayanokoji! He was so proud of himself!

"... I guess you could say we are acquaintances, though Kushida said Horikita didn't have a single friend. 0.5 is less than one, so technically she was right…" Ayanokoji trailed off.

Syl nearly jumped out of his seat! He was bested again! This Ayanokoji guy was too smart!

"Bah! Bacon Shmacon! Who cares?" He crossed his arms and pouted, he was clearly upset.

Ayanokoji was analyzing him, wondering where the stark change in character came from.

'Perhaps, he's like Kushida in a way? Hiding behind a staged personality… though I can't be certain yet.'

"Oh my god! You two are infuriating! No one cares about whether she has 0 or 0.5 friends!" Kushida spat out.

"This is why Horikita is better than you at math! At least she knows the difference! Plus you always round .5 up! So technically I'm right!"

CRACK

"She's not better than me!" Kushida screamed.

Her hand trembled in rage holding a handle that she had just snapped off of her mug in her fit.

The whole restaurant was looking at the three now.

Syl smirked. "I think I just choose." He walked away. Ayanokoji took the chance to follow him and avoid the eyes of everyone.

Kushida was stunned for a moment.

She then started profusely apologizing and crying about how mean the two boys were to her. Trying to gain everyone in the restaurant's sympathy.

"I-I just wanted to help everyone! W-why did they have to c-compare me to her!" She cried as she paid for the broken cup.

Someone else in the restaurant was silently sipping a cup of coffee while watching this go down.

"Fufufufufu. Mosquitoes always seem to make a lot of noise when they are around."