Chapter 5 Part III

The four of us stood outside the convenience store enjoying some ice cream that we had bought.

"Eating ice cream while it's a bit chilly is delicious."

Hasebe says so while carrying a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a thin wooden spoon up to her mouth.

Yukimura, on the other hand, doesn't appear to eat ice cream very often, as he was still reading the ingredients.

"This is just a list of preservatives and food colorings."

"Wow, how are you able to eat anything if you're concerned about that sort of thing?"

"I'd like to pay attention to the food I eat. I started thinking about it after what happened to my physical condition during the uninhabited island exam. Now I get my food from the organic section of the supermarket at Keyaki Mall."

"You're a really serious guy."

Apparently, Yukimura recently became a health-conscious individual.

"In the first place, items at the convenience store cost a lot. If you're willing to make a small trip over to the mall, you can get the same thing at a much better price. Why not buy your groceries a bit more efficiently?"

He pointed it out by looking at Hasebe who had also bought a lot of groceries along with the ice cream.

"Yukimū, are you by any chance one of those weird penny-pinchers?"

"I've always cared about it. And what do you mean by Yukimū?"

"You're Yukimura-kun, so Yukimū. When I want to make friends, I start with nicknames. Miyatchi, Yukimū, and Ayanon. Hmm, although Ayanon doesn't flow that well."

Before I knew it, I had been given the super-cute 'Ayanon' as a nickname.

"Don't call me Yukimū, it's embarrassing."

"You don't like it?"

"...I didn't say that I told you it's embarrassing."

"So what?"

"But in the presence of others, Yu-Yukimū is a little..."

Yukimura stopped talking. Hasebe responds to him with a straight face.

"I came to this conclusion after I realized that our relationship might not be that bad."

"A relationship worthy of a nickname?"

"Jeez, we're all, like, the type of people who stick to themselves, right?"

"Well... That's true. I can't deny that."

"Should I say that once I tried this group thing out, I was unexpectedly comfortable with the results? And Yukimū and Ayanon also have very few friends. The second semester is more than halfway over, so I decided that I really want to establish a new friend group through these study sessions. Therefore, I'm not trying to make up for lost time, but in order to get close to you guys as quickly as possible, I want to call you guys by either a nickname or your first name. What do you two think?"

She asked us. After it was clear that Yukimura and I were unable to answer her, Miyake responded:

"Yeah. I'm surprised myself since it isn't bad at all. I feel like I fit in. I don't get along with Sudō and his group, and Hirata feels like an entirely different existence, always surrounded by girls."

"I know, right? What about you two?"

Both Hasebe and Miyake were positive about the four of us forming a group together. Would Yukimura still refuse?

"I was only with you guys to oversee your studying. When the finals are over, the group will have served its purpose, but... I guess these finals won't be the last time. Of course, there will be the third semester, and it also goes without saying that there will be further exams until graduation. So... I don't mind forming something it for the sake of efficiency."

"What you're saying is confusing, but thanks nonetheless."

"Hmm... Well. This is only to keep you guys from dropping out and lower the class's ratings any further."

"Then there's only Ayanon left, ah, but is it difficult because you're already in a group with Horikita-san? Plus you're sometimes also doing things with Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun."

"I can't say if it's for better or worse, but at least I know that those two are pretty different from the type of person I am, as they have many aspects that I'm just not compatible with. Should I say that I don't have to force myself when I'm around you guys? To be honest, I feel relaxed. Horikita and I just sit next to each other. We interact a lot, but I'm not particularly in a group with her."

These were my true feelings.

"Is that so? In that case, it's decided. We will be the Ayanokōji Group from now on. Please treat us well."

"Wait. Why is it named after me?"

"You're the one who brought all of us together. Are you not okay with it?"

Miyake also agreed with Hasebe's opinion. What about Yukimura?

"I have no objections. I would be troubled if we chose to  call ourselves the Yukimura group."

He accepted it without resistance.

"One last thing before we inaugurate the group. Let's ban the use of formal surnames from now on."

"It's up to you to ban them, but I won't say Mi-Miyatchi or... A-Ayanon or anything like that. It's embarrassing. I'd look like an idiot."

It would definitely feel out of place for Yukimura and me to say 'Miyatchi'.

It was really helpful that he ended up denying it for me.

"Well, at least use the first name. By the way, my name is Haruka. You can call me whatever you want. What your first name, Miyatchi?"

"Akito."

If that's the case, that's what we should call you then? Hasebe had a proud expression.

"Akito huh. Well, that's manageable. Ayanokōji's is Kiyotaka, right?"

We stayed in the same room during the cruise, so Yukimura appears to have remembered my name.

"And I believe Yukimura's first name is Teruhiko."

I also thought back to the exam on the ship. Yukimura's expression suddenly became cloudy for some reason after I had said this.

"...You remembered?"

Instead of being impressed, Yukimura looked troubled.

"Oh, so Yukimū's first name is Teruhiko. Should I think of another nickname?"

"Stop it."

He responded with a strong tone, and Hasebe shrunk back a little bit.

"Is something wrong?"

When I asked Yukimura about his sudden change in attitude, he gave an unexpected response.

"I'm fine with calling you guys by your given names, but could you stop calling me Teruhiko?"

He actually made such a proposal.

"That is, it's alright for you to use our first names, but it's not alright for us to do it to you!?"

"It's not that I don't like any of you guys. It's just that I hate my given name. I usually don't mind because nobody had ever used my given name before, but this situation makes things different."

"It's not a particularly unique baby name nowadays, isn't it pretty common?"

Miyake understandably finds it strange.

The name Teruhiko is definitely one of the more standard, usual names.

I don't think the name is the type that I'd end up hating.

"Is there any special reason?"

"...Ah. Teruhiko was the name chosen for me by my mother, a cowardly woman who abandoned me and my father when I was little. This is why I can't possibly accept it."

Hasebe and Miyake's faces tightened after they learned that there was a heavier reason for it than they had expected.

Yukimura noticed this and immediately decided to end the conversation.

"Sorry, I said something unnecessary."

"Nope, that was my bad. I went ahead and used your first name without your permission."

"It's not something you need to apologize for. It's only to be expected since you didn't understand the situation. Plus it's not typical for someone to dislike their given name. If possible, I don't want to ruin the atmosphere of the group. If none of you mind, I'd like it if you'd call me Keisei moving forward. It's the name I've been using since I was a child."

"Keisei? Does that mean Yukimū has two given names? This is pretty complicated."

"Keisei isn't my naturally given name. It's the name my father wanted me to have. Since the day my mother left home, I've made it my own. If you find it unacceptable, I hope you'll call me Yukimura just like you've been doing."

If this is what Yukimura wanted, we wouldn't be able to pursue it any further.

Besides, it isn't surprising for someone to use more than one name.

It isn't only celebrities who do it, but even people of the general public.

"It wasn't my intention to use such an insensitive name, but that's not what matters, is it?" 

"Yeah true. In which case, my best regards, Keisei."

As Hasebe said, we all chose to call him by the name that he wanted us to use.

"Sorry for my selfishness... Kiyotaka, Akito, Haruka."

Yukimura addressed everyone by their given name again.

"It's fine, it's fine. More or less, people have their own circumstances."

Exactly. Just like how I have a past that I don't want to be exposed or for people to know about, Yukimura… no, Keisei also has a past that he carries.

I attempted to say their names out loud in the same way Keisei did.

"Akito, Keisei, and... Haruka. Right. I've also remembered them."

It's more stressful to call a girl by her first name than to do it for a boy.

"Anyways, Kiyotaka-"

Haruka seems to have gotten caught up with my nickname again.

"Not Ayanon, but how about Kiyopon? Yeah, this one flows much better, so I think it's an easy decision. Yukimū, do you want to call him that too?"

Wow, I feel like I've been given a more shameful nickname than Ayanon.

Thinking of being called this in front of the general public from now on gives me goosebumps.

"I won't call him that, it's too embarrassing. I've already decided to call him Kiyotaka."

Embarrassment aside, we ultimately decided to use our first names for each other.

At first, we weren't able to find the right way to say it, but the flow of things had started to seem much more natural and there weren't any more problems with that.

I looked behind me. It felt like the conversation was at a good place for me to discreetly check on the presence in the background.

Are you just going to stay there and listen in silence, Sakura?

Every time that we've gathered for a study session, Sakura has followed behind us.

Same with the cafe today. Moreover, she was also currently watching us from a distance now.

She can't hear everything that we're saying, but she should just barely be able to hear enough to understand.

Right now, while our group is being formed is her last chance.

If she doesn't insert into the conversation here…

"Well! Now we've all learned each other's names. So, the four of us will group u-"

"F… For-forgive me!"

Bang! The trash can nearby made a loud sound. At the same time, a single student stood up.

Of course, it goes without saying that it was Sakura. She rigidly stepped out and nervously walked up to us with robotic movement.

"Sakura?"

The three of them said her name at almost the same time.

"I… I... I also want to join Ayanokōji-kun's group!"

Unable to show her face for the longest time, Sakura amassed every ounce of her courage and then uttered the words.

Her face was visibly flushed with nervousness. Since she wasn't paying attention, she hadn't noticed that her fake glasses were sitting crooked in an amusing position.

"Do you want to join the group because you're afraid that you'll fail the exam? Given Sakura's scores and partner, it's not unreasonable for you to be uneasy about it."

Keisei calmly endeavored to analyze Sakura's arrival, and then came to a conclusion.

"Based on how I see it, I think you should join Horikita's group. I'm not capable enough to teach very many people. Besides, your situation is different from theirs, so the content that you'll need to be taught would be different as well."

Sakura mustered the courage to say something, but was unfortunately dismissed by Keisei's collected response.

"It's n… It's not like that... I genuinely want to join Ayanokōji-kun's group!"

When you travel, you don't care about losing face. A train that has started will not stop. Sakura's resolve wouldn't falter from just this. She expressed her feelings once again.

"Isn't it fine? Sakura can join us. After all, she seems to fit in."

Akito spoke, welcoming the unexpected visitor.

"Is it okay? Letting someone join so easily."

"Does adding one person make any difference? Besides, there are no qualifications required to join our group. We're all loners anyways, so I think it's fine."

"We're all loners? I suppose so."

It's well-known that Sakura is also often alone in Class D.

"Keisei, are you also okay?"

"I have no reason to object, but I don't want it to increase more than this. Sakura makes it easy, but if someone noisy joins, I'm leaving."

"Th-Thank you, Miyake-kun... Yukimura-kun..."

Despite there being some conditions attached, Keisei agreed. The rest was up to Haruka.

Haruka usually gives the impression of being the most receptive, but this time there was no smile on her face.

"Sorry, Sakura-san, but that isn't going to convince me."

"Ah, well, uh... I… I can't...?"

Haruka maintains her stern expression and confronts Sakura as if to pour cold water on her long-awaited reception.

"In my case, should I say that I'm really looking forward being a part of the group? I feel like I'm going to get along really well with everyone for a while. So-"

She pointed her index finger straight upwards and held it before Sakura's eyes.

"Since you want to participate in our group, there's an obligation for us to call each other by either a nickname or their given name. This means that Sakura-san will have to be called... Er-... What's her name again?"

"Airi."

I added quickly.

"We'll call you Airi, and you'll have to call everyone by their names as well. Are you okay with that?"

Everyone more or less understood that Sakura wasn't very good with interpersonal relationships, which is why she was given this advice:

'Can you tolerate such a situation?' She confirmed the answer.

"Eh, well..."

I decided to try my best at helping the confused Sakura. If Haruka decided to require nicknames here, the things would become more difficult.

"Keisei, Akito, and Haruka."

I elaborated the first names of Yukimura, Miyake, and Hasebe in order.

"...Ke-Keisei-kun, Akito-kun, and Haruka-san... phew."

She desperately squeezed out the names in a faint voice.

"There's no need to use an honorific, is there?"

"Yeah. It's fine as long as it's the first name. Now, there's only Kiyopon left."

Sakura looked at me in a daze, her face slowly flushing with red. I understood how she was feeling, having to suddenly call three people by their first names. The only thing left for her is to address me. 

"Hyuu!"

A mysterious sound escaped out of Sakura's mouth.

"You seem to have like, gotten really close to Kiyopon in the past. Shouldn't that be more than enough for you to say it?"

Haruka spoke, looking to pursue after her and attack. She was just like an examiner.

"Kiyotaka is fine."

It's much too difficult to call someone Kiyopon anyway. It's embarrassing even when said internally.

"K-Kiyo, Kiyo... piyo...!"

Everyone's eyes were on Sakura, so even if she was unwilling, the pressure was still rising.

It was a problem that spiraled further and further out of control as more time passed by.

"I don't know how the group is going to affect you, but at the very least, I think it's necessary for you right now. You've taken one big step already so it shouldn't be scary to take it one step further."

I spoke gently in order to convey that I had her back.

"...Yeah...K-Kiyotaka-kun. Please be kind to me from now on."

After a brief, determined silence, Sakura looked straight into my eyes and said so.

"Yep, you passed! I also agree with having Airi join us."

Thus, Sakura's inclusion was unanimously approved.

"Kiyopon, try calling Airi by name properly as well."

"Er... Airi."

"Y-Yes!"

While we were nervous and stiff, we both managed to successfully call each other by name.

"Well, let's do it once more. The five of us are the Kiyopon Group, so please treat us well."

My name being selected as the namesake of the group doesn't seem to change no matter who ends up joining it.