Chapter 4: happiness?

Ayanokoji POV

I made my way to my dorm as I was once again alone, it felt a little empty but also gave me the space I needed for gathering my thoughts, today was a day that felt so amazingly different that this experience made me feel things I could've never imagined

I made my way to the dorms and found the dorm with my name. 401

how ironic, 401. It almost feels like a joke how ironic it is to see that it was the number given to me, it's like it followed me here.

Ignoring the irony that was the number 401, I made my way inside of this minimalistic dorm as I placed my bag down and laid on the bed

This place was the one where I finally got my escape from the empty life of my past

The question I came to this school to obtain an answer for.....

How can one be happy, does it depend on the people and what makes people happy? So far these questions riddled my mind as I wish to discover what true happiness is, not only for myself but also for others.

Such a confusing world we live in, but like a baby bird, I only discovering this world and all it has to offer. I will fly freely one day, but that day isn't here yet. Afterall that man is just like me, he isn't the one who will give up.

I laid the thought's that plagued my mind to rest as I let my brain drift off and fell asleep, ending my first day in this school.

The next day

Class D.... they had no care, the teacher was teaching as people did whatever they wanted to, they played with their phones, they gossiped and they didn't care if the teacher taught or not.

The teacher didn't care! she just kept teaching with a casual smile! if I did this at my previous place of education, I would be punished severely

I ignored those thoughts as I continued listening to the lecture as Horikita besides me took notes, she noticed my gaze as she narrowed her eyes. Oh no, did she notice I wasn't taking any notes? wait, it shouldn't be too bad, most people in class weren't

As the classes came to a halt, I saw the clock tick away till it was break time.

I was going to start eating when I saw that Horikita had already returned to her seat.

She had on her desk a sandwich that looked delicious. I wish I could ask her to share but I wasn't sure how to approach her

So I returned to my seat without saying anything.

When I was about to take my first bite of my bread, music started to play out of the speakers.

"Today, at 5pm in gymnasium number 1, there will be a club fair. For those of you with an interest in clubs, please come to gymnasium number 1. I repeat, today" the speaker roared loudly as I looked to the red eyed beauty

"Horikita...." I began as she immediately said

"I am not going with you, I have no interest in clubs" she said with a cold look as I looked away, disappointed that nothing seemed to be going well for me

"Alright.... I guess I will just go alone and look around...." I said slowly, appearing even a little sad yet still maintaining my monotone face

Horikita noticing the difference in tone asked

"Why are you so disappointed that I won't go? you still have Sudo going there, you could hang out with him and his friends" she said, almost in a way to console me as I shook my head and simply said

"I wanted to go with you, I thought it would be nice to hang out with you and check the facilities offered by the school" I said as Horikita's face suddenly reddened as she took a breath and moved her hair behind her ear

did she have a fever? it doesn't seem to be hot here

"I have no interest in loitering around... but it could be beneficial to see a lot of the school in the same place. So be happy that I am agreeing to this, I will come" Horikita said as I hurriedly replied

"Thank you Horikita, I really appreciate it" I said with my monotone voice as she sighed and looked back toward me

"Your face and voice tell me otherwise...." she said, almost looking dissapointed

"I am sorry.... I just have no idea or way to express things on my face. If I try it looks weird and out of place." I explained as she sighed again

Did she not get enough sleep yesterday? why is she sighing so much

"Whatever..... we can go to check the clubs together later" she said as I nodded and bit down on my bread

"that bread, it isn't the most healthy meal. Did you not think of going to the cafeteria and buying a lunch set or cooking like me?" she asked me as I shrugged

"The cafeteria has either bad meals or expensive ones, I don't want to waste money. I can't cook so a piece of bread is fine for me until I learn how to cook something" I replied as she sighed again

"Hahhh, how hopeless Ayanokoji, but what else could I have expected from a highschool boy like you, here." she said mocking me while offering me a piece of her sandwiches she made, the delicious looking sandwich

"Since you don't have much food other than the bread, eat this. It should be enough to get through the classes with a full stomach atleast" she said as I gladly took the piece of the sandwich and took a bite

pure ecstasy. The human race has made so many advancements and so much development in the past millennia yet such tasteful and scrumptious food must be the greatest advancement, as I had my little moment with the experience of eating a piece of heaven for the first time in my life, Horikita was looking at me expectedly

"So? What do you think? it's so good you can't even say anything?" she said while praising herself as I nodded hurriedly, completely agreeing. The food I had tried before this was nowhere comparable to this

Horikita saw my response and chuckled, she laughed for the first time I had seen her as she asked

"Pfff, Ayanokoji, have you never had a sandwich before?" she asked me as I nodded

"Huh?" she said confused at my response

"What do you mean by you never ate a sandwich before?" Horikita asked suspicious as I finally uttered a word after DEVOURING that piece of sandwich

"My diet before I came here was strict, so I never got the chance to eat sandwiches, though I did hear about them" I said as Horikita had a shock struck look on her face as she commented on my predicament

"Just what kind of life did you live before coming to this school!?" Horikita asked as I shrugged, not understanding the problem

"I just didn't have sandwiches, it isn't that abnormal" I said as Horikita replied

"No it is very abnormal!" she said while yelling a little, happy that there were barely any people in the room as I shrugged as I bit down on my bland piece of bread again, it felt so bland compared to the sandwich but I relented, I needed the calories.

"Seriously Ayanokoji, I am curious. Just how sheltered were you before coming here?" she asked with a concerned look on her face, I didn't like her worrying, I need to fix it

"I didn't have much to do back home, nothing much to worry about. Don't worry yourself over such menial things. Also I wanted to ask, can you teach me to cook sometime?" I asked her, trying to change the topic as she sighed ONCE AGAIN

"Why do you want to learn how to cook from me?" she asked as I simply replied

"The best cook I have ever seen is right infront of me, I have to ask if I can learn from the best." I said as Horikita sighed as she said

"Alright... I'll teach you the basics but that's it!" she said as her face reddened a bit again, is she actually sick? that's worrying

"Horikita are you alright? your face is a little red, do you have a fever?" I asked while turning my face sideways, almost cartoonishly to signify my confusion

Horikita stammered at my question as she hurriedly replied

"Yes! I am completely fine! focus on eating, classes resume soon!" Horikita said as I nodded and finished my food.

The classes resume and I daydreamed away at the boring class, looking out the window to see a beautiful white dove flapping its wing ever so gracefully, what a pity that I wasn't born as one.

The time passed by as the time to go to the gymnasium to check out the clubs came and I immediately packed up and went to Horikita's desk

"I'll see you at the gymnasium then" I said with my usual voice as Horikita nodded and got up as well

We split our ways and met up at the gymnasium after school.

We met up at the gymnasium in casual clothes..... well casual clothes for me

Horikita showed up in a black dress with floral accents, complimenting her hair. It wasn't too fancy but it wasn't casual like me who just wore a white shirt and jeans

"Hello." I said monotone as Horikita turned to me and looked me up and down

and sighed. What did I do for her to sigh now

"What else could I have expected.... alright Ayanokoji let's go" Horikita said monotonously as I nodded and we walked in

The facilities provided by this school were amazing, it was like I walked into super facility for athletes from the future

"The school doesn't mess around with it's amenities does it?" I said to Horikita who responded

"Yes, there is plenty of equipment the facilities are also high quality. Look, they even have oxygen capsules. All the equipment put pro's equipment to shame. Ah, but it looks like they don't have a karate club." Horikita commented, almost disappointed at the lack of a karate club

Horikita had a confident stride and her limbs were moving freely with practice, ready to defend herself at the sign of any attack, trained to a high standard for most people, a sign of people who practice Karate, a martial arts designed to use the limbs of the body to defend one self.

"Yes, you might have been tempted if such facilities were present for the martial art you practiced" I told her as she looked surprised

"How did you know I practiced Karate?" she asked surprised at my deduction, I shrugged and simply told her

"You walk with confidence and and you definitely have the awareness and development in limbs for someone who practices karate, plus you specifically mentioned it" I explained to her as her fever returned again, flushing her face

"W-why'd you observe my body like that!?" Horikita said, stammering. What did she think I meant?

"I don't understand what you are referring to but I simply looked at you like any other person and assessed any important points I observed. But if that made you uncomfortable then I am extremely sorry" I told to her, I don't wish to make anyone uncomfortable or unhappy with me, it's the last thing I want

"It's alright, I misunderstood" Horikita said as she coughed into her hand, a fake cough. I wonder why she did that, I must ask the internet what it means later

As I took that mental note, I heard the club representatives on the stage on by one as I looked toward Horikita who had froze

Huh, what happened Horikita froze, almost in a scared manner

"Horikita, are you okay?" I tried to ask as she kept staring at someone on the stage, her gaze staying glued

a boy around 170 cm tall, with black hair and red eyes like herself, perhaps a relative or family?

I silently anticipated his words as he stayed quiet, assessing the room as he looked toward me and Horikita, his gaze sharpening at her as I got infront of her, I looked him dead into the eye, inviting him into a staring contest which he broke away from a second later

the first years threw mocking words at him, saying he forgot his note cards and other such mockery. However, the man on stage didn't waver at all. The mockery not fazing him in the slightest 

Even when the laughter started dying down, his apathetic face didn't change.

The students started wondering "What is this guy doing?" and the gym got noisy.

The relaxed atmosphere gradually shifted in an unexpected direction. It was an electrifying change in mood.

Eventually, the whole gym was enveloped in a tense and quiet atmosphere.

There were no instructions given out, no one dared to talk—it was a dreadful silence. The man getting the effect he wanted

No one could open their mouths to talk. This silence has been going on for 30 seconds already...

The student on stage started talking.

"My name is Horikita Manabu, and I am the student council president." It seemed he was a close relative, perhaps her brother

"The student council is also looking for first-years to replace the graduating third-years. There are no strict requirements to apply for the position, but those who are interested should not be affiliated with any other clubs. Generally, we do not accept any candidate involved in other clubs."he said as he looked serious and stern

His tone was soft, but the mood was still tense. He alone silenced the whole gym.

Of course, it wasn't his position as the student council president that gave him that power. Horikita Manabu also carried a powerful aura. His presence dominated the whole gym.

"Also, we, the student council, are not looking for anyone that has a naive way of thinking. Not only will that kind of person fail to get elected, they will inevitably become a stain to this school. The student council is only responsible for regulating the students, but the school expects much more. Those of you that understand can become potential candidates." Manabu said as his words shook the atmosphere of the gym and gave it a grave aura

He exited the stage and gymnasium after, Horikita seemed to be shaken, this might be a gamble but it's the only effective way

I grabbed her shoulder and gave it a small squeeze and asked

"Horikita, is everything ok?" I said as she broke out of her trance

"Y-yes, nothing is wrong here, I believe I should leave" Horikita said as she started to walk away in a hurry, she isn't ok

I reached out and grabbed her hand before she could walk away, a bold move on my part

"A-Ayanokoji!? what are you doing!?" she said, surprised at me grabbing her hand

"Wait, just. Come with me so we can sit down and talk" I said as she sheepishly nodded, very different from the usually arrogant and confidant Horikita

I let go of her hand as we walked to a park and we sat down on a bench, I am not good with this, but I need to do something atleast....

"Horikita, is your relationship with your brother not the best?" I ask as she nodded slowly and gave a low laugh

"I am not even surprised that you knew he was my brother....." she said as I simply said

"You both look similar, good genetics don't get passed down by coincidence" I said, trying to compliment her as her face flushed a bit again, what is up with her and that fever?

"I suppose we are siblings....." she said sadly as I asked, perhaps I was invading her boundary with this but

"What exactly is the problem with you two?" I asked her as she looked down, as she slowly started

"He..... is amazing. Smart, strong and reliable. I can always remember that I wanted to be like him and have him be proud of me but.... he was always distant with me because he didn't want me to interfere with his life. I was like a stain on his name..... a number 2 daughter who will never live upto the expectations no matter how hard I tried." she said, her hands clenched and face facing the ground

"Well if I have to say something.... I would say that it's stupid" I say with my still monotone voice as she looked at me, offended even

"What exactly about it is stupid!?" Horikita yelled, angry at me for my comment

"The fact that the comparison is even there, you are Horikita Suzune, my classmate and friend. You aren't your brother and there isn't a need to be like him, be your own person and your own version. You can be great like him, in your own way. Maybe that way he will acknowledge you to Horikita, he is his own person as he had to discover it himself, you have made your own mind convinced that he is the best you can achieve when it's wrong." I explained as Horikita absorbed the words as she continued

"What do you mean it's wrong when I think he is the best..... He is beyond anybody I have ever known..." Horikita said as I shook my head

"False, you have the potential to be much greater. He is someone who made his own path, you have followed him so far on this path and now all you have to do is make your own moving forward. Working off his work and putting in your own hardwork to surpass him because Horikita Suzune, your limits aren't as shallow as one man. Your limits go much beyond any one person because you can reach any place you wish until you work for it to the point where the devil start's sweating. So Horikita, will you believe in yourself like I do in you?" I asked her as she froze, not knowing what to say.

"I..... I don't know....." she said as I nodded

"That's alright, change isn't an objective you wish to reach suddenly. Work towards it and just remind yourself. You are Horikita Suzune not Horikita Manabu." I said as she slowly nodded, still processing all of my words

"I understand... thank you Ayanokoji....." she said as I nodded at her

We both sat in silence as I suddenly heard a bell, a man was pushing a cart as a bell rang

"Ah an ice cream man" Horikita said as I felt confused

"Icecream?" I said with my head tilted again, looking toward horikita, confused at the weird combination of words, how can someone make cream with ice?

"Yes? Icecream?" Horikita replied not understanding my confusion

"What's icecream?" I said as Horikita turned her head toward me so fast that I could swear she got whiplash from it

"You..... don't know what icecream is?" she asked as I nodded

"Yes? what exactly is it?" I asked, confused at why she was confused

"It's a dessert..... a very popular dessert....."she said slowly as she gave me a look of pure pity

hey hey hey, what is even happening-

She grabbed my arm as she dragged me to the trolley with the man as she immediatly ordered two chocolate 'ice creams' as she handed me one

It was ball of brown colored substance on top of a cone shaped object, Horikita licked the ball as I hesitantly lick it, it was... out of this world

The pure sweet richness of the sweet was out of this world as I kept licking it excitedly, it was delicious, truly and utterly blissful.

such a desert was unearthly. I looked toward Horikita noticing how I was frivolously licking it, liking the flavor, she laughed and smiled so brightly. Her full hearty laugh gave rise to a reaction I didn't know was possible

for the first time in my whole life as far as I can remember, I smiled. Horikita noticed and her jaw dropped.

Thank you Horikita, I can't thank you enough for being the person that you are. A truly great friend that I am glad I have