A Selfish Melody

"Society, a grand theater with seats reserved only for the elite, while the rest of us linger in the shadows as spectators of our own destinies."

Ayato Pov:

The day had been exhausting, a relentless workout followed by an unexpected encounter with Hoshino Agawa at the gym.

I couldn't shake the feeling that her request for a "talk" was going to be more of an inconvenience than anything else.

As Taro and I headed home, my thoughts kept circling back to that impending conversation. I could feel the weight of it, like a looming storm on the horizon.

Frankly, it was a pain in the neck that I could do without.

Taro, ever the optimist, was trying to be supportive in his own way.

He flashed me a grin and said, "Ayato, man, you've got a date with a beauty! Most guys would kill for that."

How the hell does a kid your age know that? The slums must've been one heck of a place.

I simply shrugged in response. Dates weren't exactly on my list of priorities right now, especially when they involved someone like Hoshino.

Taro, though well-intentioned, couldn't resist teasing me. "Come on, man, she's gorgeous. You should be happy about it."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Taro always had a way of seeing the bright side of things, even when they were nothing but a headache.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the VIP ticket that Hoshino had given me earlier. It was an invitation to some fancy art auction for the elites, a world I was intimately familiar with.

Yet, the thought of spending an evening surrounded by pretentious art enthusiasts was not my idea of a good time.

With a lazy flick of my hand, I shoved the valuable ticket back into my pocket. "I'll deal with it later,"

I muttered, my voice a monotone.

The auction was still a week away, and I had more pressing matters to attend to.

Taro seemed undeterred by my lack of enthusiasm. "Well, if you change your mind, it could be a good chance to develop some heaty ties with her"

That smugly smirk reminds me of a very ugly.....thing, yup. (A/N: No Kazuya-kun was hurt in the making of this dialogue)

I shot him a sidelong glance. "Taro, you're reading too much into this. She probably just wanted someone to tag along with her and I was just coincidently 'given the honor' ".

That damned Ojou-sama.

Taro, with a sarcastic grin, chimed in, "Sure, sure, dude. Keep gaslighting yourself dude."

This brat is getting ahead of himself now. I'm about loose my patience.

As we walked home together, I couldn't help but wonder what this unexpected encounter with Hoshino would lead to and what her mysterious request entailed.

It seemed that, whether I liked it or not, I was being drawn into her world, one way or another.

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As Taro and I arrived home, exhaustion clung to our bones like a stubborn shadow.

The prospect of a relaxing evening seemed like a distant dream, but at least we could indulge in a simple pleasure—tea.

I headed straight for the kitchen, the comforting routine of making tea a welcome distraction from the events of the day.

Taro followed me with a tired but contented sigh, plopping down on the couch as I prepared our cups.

Returning to the living room with the steaming mugs in hand, I noticed Taro had already switched on the TV.

He'd navigated to a channel broadcasting colorful cartoons, and the lively characters danced across the screen.

With a smirk, I took my usual spot on the other end of the couch, setting the cups on the coffee table.

As I settled in, my gaze drifted to the small chessboard that rested on the armrest. It had become a constant companion, a silent challenge that beckoned me.

I began to set up the pieces, the familiar arrangement a comforting sight. Taro, engrossed in the antics of animated characters, glanced over at me curiously.

"What's the point of playing alone?" he asked, his tone genuinely curious.

I looked up from the chessboard, my expression unyielding. "I just like my own company, Taro."

Taro, seemingly satisfied with my answer, hummed in acknowledgment and turned his attention back to the cartoons. But in my mind, I knew the real reason.

Th reason being

Only 'I' can be a challenge to myself.

If someone were to ask me how it feels to be the superior being, I would quite frankly say

Its too lonely at the top, almost suffocating.

Taro might have been captivated by the cartoons on the TV, but in that quiet moment, I knew he saw a different kind of hero in me—one who was somewhat of a savior for him.

But you know what he doesn't foresee?

That this hero of his will absolutely BREAK him apart.

And then build him anew, piece by piece.

All for what?

My own selfish desires.

The weak are just instruments that the strong use for their own melody, They break and you just replace them. That's my philosophy.

Ayato Karishma's philosophy.