Ayanokōji barely made it back to class after having to dodge and even physically pry off some of his more inquisitive classmates.
He couldn't exactly fault them though, there'd have been a better chance of winning the lottery twice before Sajō distanced himself from Natsukawa. It wasn't that the boy was a bad person..just— overly enthusiastic about his romantic pursuits.
"Ne ne Sajōchii~" Waving her hand over with a mischievous grin was a purple haired beauty. Her short shoulder length hair brushed neatly against the curve of her neck with her silky smooth bangs falling inline with her eyebrows and an X shaped hair clip framed the left side of her hair.
"Hmm? What's the matter Ashida?" Looking over his shoulder to face her he questioned.
"Geh—is that any way to greet your best buddy?" She scolded theatrically while clutching her chest in mock pain. "You should call me Kei-chan like you used to!" She added playfully while waving her finger pointedly.
"You and I both know I've never once called you that." Ayanokōji responded candidly, reaching into his bag grabbing his wallet.
"Are you getting to a point or are you just making conversation to curb your boredom?" Following up instantly he added "Because if not, I'd really like to head to lunch before the cafeteria sells out the good stuff."
"Jeez who got your panties in a—" Cutting her off the boy raised from his seat.
"Wait—Wait Okay! I was just going to ask why you haven't invited your queen out to lunch yet." She said breathlessly.
Cocking his eyebrow Ayanokōji was about to retort that he didn't always do that but a memory of his predecessor caused him to bite back his words.
『"────Alright, let's eat together, Aika!"』
Remembering this scene caused him to glance at the girl in question, whom had been glaring at him since he came back, before refocusing on Ashida.
"I think it's about time for me to give the antics a rest shouldn't I?" He questioned rhetorically, walking to the door without waiting for a response.
""""Eh–Ehhhhhhh...!?""""
The class erupted.
'This is the second time for the day these people have made a racket. Is it easy to surprise people nowadays?' The boy internally chastised.
◆
Ayanokōji made a beeline for home as soon as the final period bell rang in order to avoid causing any more shocked reactions.
Perhaps if he still withheld some of Sajō's feelings towards the girl he'd have invited her to walk home together; however, he...the current Sajō— had no intentions of engaging in prolonged interactions with the silver tongued woman.
"I'm back!" The boy announced in a loud yet monotonous voice.
Truthfully he'd been dreading how he'd interact with his new family without rousing any suspicion of his new nature, however he concluded it'd be best to just catapult it and credit the change to teenage heartbreak.
He'd assumed news of his behavior today had already more than like reached his sister in the student council. As for his mother, he hadn't been too worried from the start considering the woman barely paid his predecessor any mind... meaning it was less than likely she'd even notice a change to begin with."
Yo. Sup with you nerd." A blonde dressed sloppily sat on the couch with her legs folded. Her hair was uncharacteristically messy as if her dignified image in school was all an illusion, her shirt falling off her shoulders.
"Y'know if your student council friend's saw this I bet they'd have a heart attack." He joked calmly while putting his shoes into the cupboard.
"Can it worm." She responded in a half serious voice while shooting him a soft glare. Sensing her slight aggression he playfully raised his hands. "I yield."
"Good." Her expression lightened. "So I'm hearing you finally gave up your stalker ways ehh?" Her voice laced with a playful lilt as she shot him a teasing grin.
"It's for the better...I wouldn't want to end up in prison would I." he cooly responded.
"Touché." The girl shrugged. "But you've been chasing her for a while haven't you? Are you sure you're doing okay?" Her earlier playfulness replaced with concern....a feeling foreign to Ayanokōji.
"Yeah i'm fine." He said in a slightly softer voice. Truthfully he didn't care at all, but he had to sell the act didn't he?
She cocked her eyebrow in distrust, scanning his face to see if he was lying or not. Seeing his calm she spoke up. "Alright then..but you ever feel like—" ~Knock Knock Knock~
The sound of the front door knocking interrupted her.
"I'll get it." Not waiting for her response he marched towards the door.
"Hmm? Natsukawa?" The figure in the doorway gave him a slight surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I came to see if you were alright." The brunette stammered slightly. "You've been acting strange all day."
"And how exactly did you find my home? Did you follow me here?" He accused, hugging his shoulders in a bit of fear.
"Wha—No! I asked Yamazaki-san!" the girl blurted out in a hurry.
"Relax. I was joking, I already know you only could've gotten it from a few people." Ayanokōji told her nonchalantly.
"That's what you call a joke!? You're voice sounded dead serious!" The girl complained exasperatedly.
"Who was it Wataru?" His sister asked loudly, her voice reverberating from the living room. Wanting to quickly end the conversation before his sister invited her in he spoke up.
"Well Natsukawa I'm fine...so if that's all then thank you for the concern." He detachedly told her.
"Wait— Can you continue to act like today? Thanks to you not bothering me I actually learned something." She said egotistically with a smug smile.
"That was the plan." he responded coldly, shutting the door in her face before she could respond.
By then, Kaede, his sister had already been behind him witnessing the entire scene. "Dang. That was cold bro."
Ayanokōji cocked an eyebrow in response before heading up to his room.
◆
After Natsukawa's visit the night before, Kaede wouldn't stop pestering her brother about the girl who he'd rudely sent off. She'd only known he had an unhealthy crush on a girl named Natsukawa but she hadn't seen the girl since she was too busy with student council work.
Only after Ayanokōji said her name had she made the connection, which ironically only caused her to pester him more about how he could just send off his two year long crush.
"Hey! Dipshit, isn't that the girl from last night?" Kaede pointed out to the orange haired girl.
The two of them had been on their way to school together since Ayanokōji's biological alarm clock caused him to wake up earlier than the previous Sajō.
Glancing at the girl walking ahead of them he narrowed his eyes slightly before looking back at his sister. ".. Yes, what about it?"
Kaede's face grew a sly smile as she nudged his side with her elbow. "Aren't you gonna talk to her?" She questioned amusedly.
"No, our relationship isn't close like that." Ayanokōji responded abruptly, cutting off whatever fantasies his sister had been concocting in her head.
"So I heard—but that also didn't stop you in the past did it?" She bit back throwing a dig at the boy. "Besides she showed up at our house yesterday thats gotta count for something."
"Shouldn't you be happy your brother gave up on his hopeless crush instead of encouraging him to continue it?" He asked incredulously.
Hearing his words her face grew somber. "...I just don't want you to regret it."
Sensing her concern he retorted calmly. "I told you already, I'm fine."
The girl grew frustrated at his response as she snapped "You haven't smiled or laughed a single time since you got back home how is that being 'fine'!?"
In an attempt to deescalate the situation Ayanokōji immediately came up with a cover story. "I'm just trying something new. I thought it'd make me cooler."
"..."
She stared at his face, scanning for a crack in expression. Sensing his absolute seriousness she burst out into a hysterical laugh.
"Pfft—HAHAHA! Y-You total moron hahah!" Wiping the tears that formed at the corner of her eyes she tried to speak again "'I-I thought it'd make me cooler'" She mocked in a faux deep voice mimicking his before bursting into laughter again, clutching her stomach from hysteria.
'At least that takes care of that problem.'
.
.
.
In order to avoid Natsukawa glaring at him because of their interaction the previous day Ayanokōji waited in the hallway to follow the teacher despite arriving to school on time.
"Hey" Just before taking his seat Natsukawa called out to him in a whisper.
"Hmm?"
"Why are you late today?" She asked inquisitively.
"What do you mean? I'm exactly on time."
"~huft You know what I mean! I saw you walking behind me this morning." The girl retorted, annoyed at his feigned ignorance.
"...And?"
"And that means you should've arrived around the same time I did!" She spat in irritation.
"How did you know I was behind you? Are you perhaps keeping tabs on me?" He asked in fake concern.
"You— sigh~ Y'know what... nevermind." Unable to deal with the boy's distasteful jokes she resigned herself.
"Ara~ Are you two done now?" Their homeroom teacher, Ootsuki, had been waiting on the two to finish bantering in order to take roll.
"Yes we are, I apologize sensei."
"Perfect. Good morning everyone! It seems like no one is late today." The dark haired teacher announced in a happy go lucky manner.
"What are you talking about Ootsuki-chan? Sajō isn't her—" Yamazaki glanced over to the direction of Ayanokōji's seat spotting him already seated. "Eh!? He's here already!? Why are you here already!?"
"I've been here for a bit Yamazaki." He responded calmly.
With the expression of a child finding out Santa didn't exist for the first time, Yamazaki rattled out. "You're lying right— You of all people wouldn't be early." Still in disbelief the boy justified. "Ah I get it, I forgot to put on my glasses this morning."
A soft feminine voice yelled out from the back of the class. "Yamazaki-san you don't wear glasses!"
Clapping her hands together Ootsuki reigned in the class. "Alright, we all know how shocking it is for Sajō-kun to be early but settle down alright. Your next class will start soon."
"""Okay!"""
.
.
."Ne ne Sajōchii~" Ashida poked the boy's back while calling out to him softly.
With a withdrawn sigh the brown haired boy looked back at his annoying tomboy friend. "What is it Ashida?"
With a teasing smile she questioned. "How come you aren't creeping on Aika?"
"Didn't we go over this yesterday? I'm done with my antics." The boy calmly explained.
"Ehhh!? I thought you only meant pestering her about lunch." Ashida clarified in a hushed shout.
"Sajō Wataru. Is your conversation with Ashida-san more important than my class?" To the boy's ire, even though Ashida was the one who initiated the conversation he was the only one being singled out.
"S..sorry Sajōchii." Ashida whispered apologetically.
"Since you're too capable to pay attention to my class, how about you read the next passage?"Perhaps the teacher thought just because he'd been engaging in conversation with Ashida he wouldn't know what chapter they were on— Or maybe she simply wanted to embarrass the boy thinking he wouldn't be able to read the passage. However the current Sajō was different than the previous, and this one had covered harder material at the age of 7.
"Think of the life you have lived until now as over and, as a dead man, see what's left as a bonus and live it according to Nature. Love the hand that fate deals you and play it as your own, for what could be more fitting?" Ayanokōji fluently read the english passage as though he were a native speaker.
"Th- That's.. correct... you may have your seat Sajō." The teacher reluctantly commended the brown haired teen."
Thank you sensei."
'Why is evereyone whispering? Oh, if I remember correctly that passage was meant for next term's study.... Ooops.'
"Hey hey, is he serious?"
"Since when did HE know english?"
"How was he so fluent!?"
◆
Ayanokōji sat under the bench with a canopy overhead that he'd been frequenting the past week for lunch. He'd recently taken to crafting his own lunches to ensure they were rich in protein and nutrients in order to help him regain a portion of his previous strength. Naturally he'd been working out too, though his workouts only spanned what he could cover with his bodyweight as he had no equipment nor money for equipment.
In short soon he'd be need a j-j-j...(inhale) job.
Knocking him out of his contemplation was a voice calling out to him. "Hey, You're Sajō-kun, riーght~?"
A girl with bright brown hair called out. She seemed like an easy-going girl, but she didn't look like a gyaru. Her vibe was like someone who would introduce recommended cosmetics in the morning news program. Yes, in short, cute.
"Yes I am, do you perhaps need something?" He'd already finished the majority of his meal except for his desert, a coffee flavored yogurt he'd made with his mother's yogurt machine .
//An: heh
He wasn't particularly sure what this unknown girl wanted from him seeing as he had no recollection of ever interacting with her in any way.
The girl pouted at his lukewarm response, animatedly drooping her head in a show to garner sympathy. "Hmm- do I have to want something to talk to you~?"
"No you don't, I just assumed you wouldn't approach me without a reason." It wasn't as though he minded someone coming up to him, especially considering his... limited array of friends.
"So you don't know me? I'm Rena Aizawa from the next class!" She pointed in the direction of the class even though they couldn't see it from the courtyard. "Want to know my three sizes too?" She asked with a sly smile while slackening her tie ever so slightly in a slow exaggerated manner.
"And stop talking so formally!" 'What does she mean by three sizes?'
"Ah, I apologize, I'll try to be more relaxed."
Shaking her head Aizawa sighed before adding. "Mou~ You're still doing it y'know!"
"My bad. So what does a cute girl like Aizawa want with me?" While Ayanokōji wasn't used to speaking...less structured it wasn't as though it was a foreign concept to him.
"Come on, to say that I'm cute, even though that's not the case" Looking as if recalling something the girl's face shadowed slightly. "A-Anyway, I saw you the other day! It was when Sajō-kun bought a beer! That's not allowed y'know."
'I knew I felt someone watching me, I shrugged it off since I wasn't close to the school.'
With a slight edge to his tone Ayanokōji questioned "So are you planning to tell a teacher or something?"
"No no, none of that tehe. I just wanted to ask you what it tasted like! I've never tried beer before."
It wasn't surprising for a Japanese teenage to not have tried beer, or any alcohol for that matter. It wasn't as though it was as easily accessible as it is in Western countries.
"Well, it tastes similar to a ginger ale, though it's quite bitter and does not have any sweetness to it. Think of it as something like a smooth carbonated coffee."
Facing the description the boy gave Aizawa's face looked slightly disgusted for a second before instantly changing. "OOO~ that sounds n-nice, I never thought anyone in school would have the guts to do something wild like that haha."
Clearly she wasn't too thrilled at the thought of trying a 'bitter carbonated coffee'
"I was just curious, no other reason."
"You're a pretty cool guy Sajou.. well my class is starting soon so see you next timeー!"
"Yeah, see you next time."
________________________________________________
Author note: First major rewrite changes. This chapter would've probably been even longer if user ###RaizenAchillesRafon didn't ask me in the comments of another fic so either thank him for the early chapter or blame him it's not as long as it could've been lol. Anyways beer chan still gets stolen off screen sigh. Lmk if there are any mistakes so I can fix em.