Chapter 4: 2.1 Day two and Pool-prelude
By the time Heylel had made his way to class his stomach was rumbling. He had eaten Jack and all after having woken up fifteen minutes before class. Still, he made it and that too with a minute or two to spare.
"Heylel boy, didn't sleep well?" Kouenji was the first to greet him.
"No, I should be fine tomorrow though, good morning," He said as he walked past and into his seat.
"Hmm," Was all that came out of the blond's mouth but he took out his phone and started to type something.
Soon Heylel's phone vibrated. A text had come his way. It seems Kouenji wanted to keep their theory private, fair enough.
[Kouenji: So, Heylel boy, I have gathered a piece of news or rather advice. Be grateful I am sharing it with you.]
[Heylel: Of course.]
[Kouenji: The seniors were very imprudent when it came to parting with any information but I managed to get them to say, "Be very careful with points. Especially if you are in class D."]
[Heylel: Ominous. You know, if this is about points we could check through the cafeteria. They sell food there, right? We can see who is buying what. Maybe grab some info from there.]
Truthfully he was just hungry but this was as good an excuse as any to go there.
[Kouenji: Ha! See? When conversing with me, even inferiors could have some good ideas. But my boy, what about the second part of that?]
Heylel signed reading the comment. Is he legally obligated to be narcissistic? Even in texts? Whatever.
[Heylel: The only implications I can think of is that we get points based on class or that we will get fewer points because we are in D.]
[Kouenji: We will see. Keep up the good work and might keep shining my grace on you.]
By the time we were done, the teacher had walked into class and seeing her I put my phone away.
It was the second day of school and the first day of class and so, most of the day was running over course objectives. It even surprised Heylel just how warm the teachers were. They didn't mind what was happening, even the fact that the redhead boy slept through basically all the classes. A very 'Laissez-faire' approach. Yes, the teachers got lax when in college but this was still school. Well, he was fine either way.
Though he had to say, despite it being lax, he only had issues with Japanese history and Literature, both were supremely mind-numbing to him. He was a steam student, not arts so why was he being subjected to this torture? He could not tell you. But other than those two everything else was fine. Excellent even.
Soon enough it was lunch, and as the teacher left a relaxed atmosphere rippled in the room. Heylel seeing her leave stood up, Kouenjie took his time though, slowly stretching his body. And so while he did, Heylel took a measure of the class, most had left, as expected, but some were still here, namely the Ayanokoji. He was watching him, recognising his Heylel waved at him and he waved back.
"You made a friend, good for you." The girl next to him spoke up, she had long black hair, with a few strands braided into a ponytail by the side. Her body was also 'mature' and even her face was very well done, with big beautiful amber eyes over a small nose and beautiful lips…lips that had a resting frown on them. Oh, Heylel realised, she was the 'ice queen.'
Heylel removed his ears and eyes from them for blonde was ready. As they started to walk out of the class, Hirata called out to them, "Guys! Are you going to the cafeteria? Want to go together?"
Heylel didn't respond, Blondie did, "Sorry leader-boy but we are busy."
Besides he didn't need them, soon enough he was swarmed, "I am coming Hirate!" "Me too!" as girls flooded the poor boy.
Kouenji ignored the commotion, leading them out and away to the cafeteria while he was they were approached by another. A girl, "Hey Heylel! Kouenji!" She was the same one who got the elderly woman a seat. Kushida.
"Ah! The fairer sex approaches but I suppose it is only natural." He said, stopping to take a look.
The girl ran up to them, a bit out of breath. She stopped as she pulled out her phone, "I haven't got your contact info! Please!"
Heylel shared a look with the blonde who shrugged and turned around. Not interested. Well, Heylel was, so he did the exchange and now that he had, after all, she was a good bridge to connect him and other classmates.
Still, she was not letting the blonde go, "Heylel, can you ask Kouenji to give me his number? He is your friend right?"
"Sorry, he won't care," Heylel apologised before running off.
In the cafeteria, Heylel walked into the sight of Kouenji occupying a full table by himself and glares being directed at him as he spread himself out.
Seeing that the layout was more similar to a fast food place than anything and that Kouenji didn't have a menu with him, Heylel walked up to the counter, placed an order for himself and took a capture of the digital display. And of course even there at the very bottom corner was a free lunch set.
Taking his order and paying, Heylel sent the photo to the blonde and walked over to the seat. Seeing Heylel come over, he did back off to leave a bit of space for 'boy.' "Good work, I knew that you would understand your assignment."
Heylel felt a curse creep up his lips but he kept it down, instead, he sat down and broke open the set seal. The food was good at least.
"Notice anything?" Heylel asked between bites, his eyes darting over the room.
"A few free sets, yes," Kouenjie replied, his eyes getting sharper as they scanned everything and anything they could catch.
"Our theory's looking more likely with the moment eh? By the way, didn't she say classes will not shuffle? Then will we be stuck in D?"
Kouenji rubbed his chin, "Our lack of concrete proof dulls the blade of our reasoning on either topic, Heylel boy. It does. There is something truly off about all of this."
True enough, Heylel mused, "Well, we will follow the money till it is sharp enough then."
"You make a good underling boy. Keep it up." Heylel looked up at the blonde with a thoroughly unimpressed look, seeing which Kouenji just laughed.
Heylel opened his mouth to say something back but was cut off when music entered his ears.
"At five PM Japan Standard Time today, we will be holding a student club fair in Gymnasium No. 1. Students interested in joining a club, please gather in Gymnasium No. 1. I repeat, at—"
A very good voice Heylel had to give the PA girl that. Hell, it was bordering on singing.
"Interested?" Heylel asked, trying to mask his lack thereof.
"Of course not."
As expected really.
———
——
—
"Good morning, Yamauchi!"
"Good morning, Ike!"
Ike ran through the door like a bull enraged, just that he wasn't a bull, more a stick and he wasn't enraged either, rather he was grinning from ear to ear.
Seeing them Heylel turned to the clock, there were still about fifteen minutes left before class, which was unusual given that the pair tended to arrive a hair before the teacher. This had been the case for the whole week they had been here.
"Whew, man! I was looking forward to today so much that I barely slept last night!"
"Ah ha ha! This school is just the best! I can't believe that it's almost time for swimming! And when I say swimming, I mean girls. And when I say girls, I mean girls in school swimsuits!"
Well, they are beautiful, Heylel conceded.
"Hey, Professor! Come here for a second!"
"Uh, you called?" They called out to a chubby boy, Sotomura, who walked over to them.
"Professor, can you record the girls wearing their swimsuits for us?" Ike asked.
"Leave it to me. I'll pretend to be sick so that I can skip class and observe."
"Record? What are you planning?" Ayanokoji asked who had stood up from his seat.
"The Professor is going to rank the girls' breast sizes for us. If we're lucky, he'll get some pictures with his phone."
"Hey, hey." Sudou visibly drew back in response to Ike's plan. There was danger in the plan, the danger of social suicide. "Is this a good idea?"
"Pathetic," a voice that had become familiar to Heylel called out to Ayanokoji.
"So, you're here, too, huh, Horikita?" Heylel knew her name by this point mostly through eavesdropping in their conversations from time to time.
"I just arrived while you were looking at those boys over there. You didn't notice me. If you want to be their friend, why not try just talking to them?" she asked.
"Shut up and leave me alone already. If I could just do it, I wouldn't be agonising over it.
"From what I've seen, you don't seem to be unsociable or lacking in communication skills, though."
"There are a lot of reasons why I can't do it. So far, there are only two people I've been able to talk to, Horikita. You and Heylel."
Hearing his name being called Heylel turned to them, "Need anything Ayanokoji?"
"He doesn't," Horikita but in, "Besides you would know, you have been listening to us."
Though he had been caught it was not as though he was going to admit fault, "Not deliberately."
"That's what all criminal scum say." She bit back.
"Sorry that I am not selectively deaf," Heylel raised his hands in mock surrender, "Regardless, name's Heylel. You?"
She glared at him, "Did I ask?"
"Fair enough," He agreed and turned to Ayanokoji, "I wouldn't recommend getting too involved if they get caught, it's social suicide."
"I will keep it in mind, though what you are saying is true." He nodded.
Then Ike's voice called out to him, "Hey, Ayanokouji!"
"Do-do you mind if I join you?" He stuttered.
"Of course not!" Hearing it, he walked over to them.
Seeing the situation I gave a side eye to his neighbour, "So, not gonna stop him?"
"Why should I?" She crossed her arms.
"I thought you were his friend—" She cut him off, "We are not friends, acquaintances at best."
He raised a brow at that but ultimately it was her choice so he returned to his books. But a voice chased after him, "Suzune Horikita." A small nod was all he had a repose.
On the other side of the class, there was another exchange prevailing, the boys were clumped around a paper and the girls were giving them dirty looks. Looks that Heylel was glad not to get.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone