How Ayanokouji Kiyotaka becomes your best friend
Now in order for this relationship to begin, you both would have to be seated next to each other in class.
You were struggling during math class being unable to comprehend what the teacher was doing on the board. When the teacher leaves a question for the class to do you become panicked since there was a chance the teacher would ask students at random to share their answer with the class.
You could admit that you were dumb. But that didn't meant you wanted to display that information publicly.
You frantically began to scribe down numbers in your notebooks. The teacher had given the class 5 minutes to answer. A minute passed and a couple students such as Horikita, Yukimura and Hirata had already put their pencils down. Meanwhile, you were still stuck on finding the first derivative.
Now that 4 minutes were left you began panicking. You looked around helplessly. No use. It was impossible to catch a glimpse of another student's paper.
The last option you had was to deliberately ask someone. You felt fairly intimidated by the students who sat in front and to the right of you. So then there's left with...
The boy that sat behind you. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
You didn't feel as afraid to ask him. He didn't seem like the person to judge you...at least that's the impression you had.
Mustering up all the courage you had, you turned around to face him.
To your surprise, he was gazing forwards with his head resting on his palm. Had he already finished the problem? Or had he given up? You had assumed the latter until you took a glimpse at his paper. It had numerous lines of calculations and a final boxed answer near the bottom.
He had been able to solve the problem within nearly the same timing as Horkita and Yukimura?? You thought to yourself somewhat stunned.
You decided to push your astonishment to the side for now. After all, the current situation was a matter of life or death. At least that's what your sympathetic nervous system was telling you.
Upon making eye contact with the brown haired boy. He slightly lifts his head off of his palm and raises an eyebrow apparently not having expected you to turn around.
For a split second you found yourself simply looking at him with your mouth slightly parted but quickly regained your composure.
"I'm so sorry," you whispered hushedly. "For this question," you pointed to the board, "do you happen to know how to solve it?" You asked.
It wasn't like Ayanokouji could lie even if he wanted to. Since it was clear he had completed the problem in his notebook.
"I managed to get the jist of it from the lesson. However, I'm not entirely sure I got the right answer." He replied, also in a whisper.
Since the both of you were seated at the back of the classroom it was less likely for the teacher at the front of the class to hear the both of you speaking. Despite that, whispering was still the most safe option.
You weren't disappointed at all with his reply. You were just relieved there was a chance that you wouldn't fail this completely. There was less than 3 minutes left.
"That's okay!" you say, "I am so sorry for bothering you but would you mind telling me what I did wrong in this step?" You held you your paper with one hand and pointed at it with the other.
Ayanokouji looked at it for a second and seemingly caught it in an instant.
"First, you should factor the first derivative. This makes finding the second derivative easier." You said pointing at your paper.
"Oh okay!" you say, "I see!" Without wasting a single second you place your paper at the front his desk and begin frantically erasing leaving behind a lot of eraser shavings.
Ayanokouji looked slightly taken aback, albeit unbeknownst to you but he didn't comment.
You were in the zone. The only sight you had in your mind was to complete this problem before the timer ran out. Whist re-attempting the question, Ayanokouji pauses you by placing his hand on your paper.
"Here you need to use the product rule and quotient rule." He points out.
Upon seeing your confuzzled expression he takes his pencil and writes it out for you. "Now all your have to do is expand and factor."
You quickly do as you're told. You had no idea how long you had left but knew it was probably less than 2 minutes. In your panicked state you hadn't realized how during this time period Ayanokouji had shifted closer to you. He observed your every step mentally ensuring that you were on the right track.
"Pencils down!" said the teacher up at the front.
You immediately turn back around on your seat causing your chair to wobble slightly.
"Now who should I ask today?" said the voice of the teacher that haunted your nightmares.
Yukimura raised his hand but the teacher immediately turned him down saying he wants someone different.
He wants to answer so why can't you just pick him. You thought pleadingly to yourself.
"L/N, why don't you share with the class?"
A chime of a bell rang in your head.
With your palms swearing, temperature rising and legs shaking you slowing stood up from your seat.
With your notebook hiding your face you say,
"I got e^(2x)(6x + 6x^2 + 4x^3) - 1/x^2, sir."
You were expecting a "nice try" or a "more practice will get you there next time" but instead you heard a,
Shocked, you plopped back down into your seat in a daze staring off into absolutely nothing.
You were shocked—but relieved. It felt as though all the blood had just rushed out of your face because you were now feeling light headed.
The rest of the period passed by and before you knew it the bell had rung. You hadn't realized lunch had began until people started to get up and leave the classroom.
"You okay?" Someone asked. No, someone asked you.
You turn around and are met with Ayanokouji once again.
"Y-yes." You say flustered. Did your expression make your distress that obvious? Maybe you visibly looked pale, you weren't sure.
"Th-thank you, Ayanokouji-kun." you thank him, "Without you I would have been completely screwed." You tell him earnestly, with the bottom of your heart.
After a small pause you notice he doesn't make any move to get out of his seat. Come to think of it, from the small amount of time you had been attending this school. You hadn't seen Ayanokouji with any specific group of people. Did he not have any friends? At this point in time, most people had already made friends and formed their cliques. Perhaps he prefers being alone?
"Are you not going to get lunch?" You found yourself asking without giving it a second thought.
"Nah, not yet. I prefer going later on once there are less people. I don't enjoy the crowd." Ayanokouji replies.
"I see." You say mostly to yourself.
"How about I get you something? As a thanks for helping me today." You offer, after all he had just saved your dignity.
"I appreciate the offer, but there really is no need. It was no problem. Plus, you did all of the work." He replies, refusing your proposal.
You frown. You didn't want to let this go.
"Please? Just this one? I won't feel good until I do something to repay the favour." You plead.
Upon seeing the expression you were making, Ayanokouji seemed to give out. Perhaps he saw that you really would not back down.
"Yay!" You exclaim happily. "Did you want something from the vending machines? I believe it won't be crowded there." You ask him as you both walk out of the classroom together.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Later on at the vending machine, Ayanokouji takes a good look at the variety of drink choices. He looked rather cute when scanning his eyes over the selection thinking to himself. Alas, he settled upon a strawberry drink that was popular among the girls. Perhaps he was curious and wanted to try one for himself? Or maybe he didn't care much about gender stereotypes. Whatever the reason was, this day was the beginning of your relationship with Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next couple of interactions included you asking him for help in math during class. You felt ashamed each time but failing wasn't an option!
Ayanokouji made sure to mention he didn't mind. But at this point, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to continue playing his amateur student persona.
This and buying him drinks became a routine for the both of you.
"I'm starting to feel bad about you using so many points on me." Ayanokouji says one day after the both of you grabbed your lunches. This time, he held a milk tea. "You don't have to keep buying me something every time."
"Oh its not a problem. I feel as though I'm unable to repay any other way. It isn't like I can help you back." You reply.
"I get what you're saying, but normally you wouldn't repay back what a friend does for you every time."
After his comment the both of you look at each other for a moment. There was a part of what he said that stood out to you, 'friends.' Ayanokouji immediately looks like he said something he shouldn't have.
"I mean, even if the friends aspect doesn't apply to us the idea still-"
"I'd like to be friends." You cut him off.
"If you also want to be..." you add off after being met with silence.
"If we become friends does that mean you'll stop buying me drinks?" He questions.
"N- Well that just means I'll have to find another way. Something more like what a friend would do..." you ponder to yourself.
"There really is no need." He sighs. Ayanokouji wholeheartedly appreciates your sincerely but he really didn't want you to feel indebted to him. Even if he didn't let it show, his heart was leaping in excitement at this new friendship.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finding you slumped at your desk after class, Ayanokouji offers to help tutor you. You both decide on the dorms because even though being loud and goofing around were forbidden in the library, people still got away with it to some degree. Plus, this way you could offer to clean his dorm room! Yes, that was the perfect plan. Something that took absolutely no points being spent.
Your dreams were shattered when he invited you in. His room, to say the least, was spotless. And looked unlived him. Even though we were allowed to bring items from home with us, it didn't appear that Ayanokouji had brought anything personal with him at all.
"So, do you clean often?" You ask with a defeated expression.
"Nah, only once in a while."
He began explaining the concepts you went over today in class. And the ones from yesterday...and the day before. Once you both were done it was nearly 7pm.
Exhausted, you sprawl out on the floor. "You're really smart Ayanokouji-kun, have you ever thought about becoming a teacher?" You ask him.
"I haven't thought about it, but I'm honestly not that smart, I just manage to know enough to get by."
"You're too modest." You reply in disbelief.
"You heading out now? Its getting late." He says, not pushing you to leave, but the both of you knew that, even if not explicitly stated in the rules, girls shouldn't stay at a guy's dorm until late at night.
You nodded while thanking him. You reached into your bag and pulled out a single can and handed it out to him.
"What's this? I thought we had agreed to put a stop to this." He says eyeing the drink.
"This is the last one I promise! Plus, its the only one you haven't tried yet." You say smiling. He couldn't reject it, since you're making it clear right now that is was certainly the last time.
"I'm starting to feel like a dog receiving treats." He says while taking the drink.
He waves goodbye to you at the door. He walks over to the nightstand and places the drink on it. He couldn't deny that he curious to try this one. It was watermelon flavour. Over the course of time you had been buying him drinks, he got to taste all kinds of different ones. But his favourite remained the strawberry drink he got with you on the first day with you. I wonder why, he thinks to himself.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A new routine sprouted for the both of you which involved the both of you heading to his room after class. You couldn't bother him everyday so you made sure to keep some days and his weekends free.
Ayanokouji honestly didn't mind. He enjoyed your company more than he thought he would. He found it amusing when you looked so happy when you solved a tricky question that would have taken him mere seconds to solve. You improved rather quickly. Ayanokouji couldn't help but feel a certain feeling of pride in his chest, knowing that he was the cause of it. Furthermore, you were fun to talk to. There were times where the both of you would talk for a whole hour after studying. He never imagined time could pass so quickly while talking.
He once found you dozed off on the zataku table when returning with some more tea. He sat down, deciding against waking you up and takes out his phone instead.
After waking up, you immediately begin apologizing. He says there's no worry. Soon after, you leave saying goodbye.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following week you don't attend your regular study sessions with Ayanokouji. He finds himself feeling down, like the parts that make his life fun were taken away from him. But you still talked to him in class.
"Are your studies going well?" He asks you one day.
"I feel like I've been improving, I just didn't want to keep bothering you anymore Ayanokouji-kun." You reply.
Your answer made his heart feel a little heavier. Was it dread he was feeling? He was glad you felt better about your academic status of course, but he didn't want that to mean you would be seeing each other less.
"I don't mind. I honestly found it pretty fun." He admits.
"You find tutoring fun?" You question somewhat surprised. You felt as though if it were you, you would find the role pretty bothersome. He's pretty strange, you thought to yourself.
"I mean I don't hate it." He says almost immediately. "Chatting with you afterwards is what I found myself enjoying the most."
He was expressing his honest feelings (without much enthusiasm may you add). However you couldn't help but agree with him. You yourself had come to learn a thing or two about your classmate Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. His favourite season is summer, he likes reading and he's pretty skilled in chess. You could say (with some degree of pride) you knew more about him than you knew about the rest of your classmates.
Even though there was no denying that the two of you have grown closer, you couldn't help but feel some degree of distance between him and yourself. You still called him by his last name after all...
Didn't friends call each other by their given names? Isn't that supposed to represent close friendships? Or did that not apply to boy-girl friendships?
"L/N?" You hear him say. You're brought back to reality realizing that you'd been silent for quite sometime.
"Oh- Haha sorry. What were you saying? O-oh right- I also found it fun." You say managing to stutter only once.
He nods, once. The both of you were heading to the convenience store to try out a new ice cream flavour that happened to cause a craze amongst the students at the ANHS. Unfortunately, when you both got there, they were all out.
"Well that sucks." He says flatly.
"Darn it!" You wail, "I mean its not like this wasn't expected. It does feel like we're the only ones who have yet to try it." You slouch forwards sulking.
"Well since we're here we might as well find something else." He says and you nod.
Popsicle in mouth you walk behind Ayanokouji. The both of you had decided to split one of those two-stick popsicles keeping the purchase to a minimum.
Staring at his back, you wondered whether you should tell him what was on your mind. Ayanokouji was the person you spent most of your time with here at the ANHS. You would even label him as your best friend. You felt shy thinking that. After all, it would be awkward if those feelings weren't mutual.
Still, you felt an undeniable distance between yourself and him when calling him by his family name. Embarrassingly, you really did want to call him by his first. But you didn't want him to think you were weird.
"Ayanokouji-kun." You say.
"Hm?" He says popsicle in mouth.
"I was wondering...with Ike-kun, Sudou-kun or even with Horikita-san, what do call them?"
"What do I call them?" He pauses seemingly confused at the question. "Ike, Sudou and Horikita."
"I see." You say sounding a little dejected.
"Why do you ask?"
"All of you seem so close so I assumed that maybe you called them by their first names you know..."
"Sudou and Ike happen to, just not me. Why do you ask?" Ayanokouji had a haunch on what you were thinking.
"I was just thinking...only if you'd like to..." You trail off feeling embarrassingly shy. You wanted to continue but the heat creeping up your neck was distracting.
"You're asking to call me by my first name?" He says for you.
"If that's okay-!" You say quickly.
You couldn't suppress the grin spreading across your face.
"Then, I call you Kiyotaka-kun?"
And with that you give him a huge smile. You catch up to him with a skip in your steps. You explode into chatter. Talking about everything and anything. The unexplainable distance that you had felt earlier diminished as if it was never there. Beside you, Kiyotaka nodded his head.
His heart felt lighter for the first time in the past couple days. In his chest, was a tingling sensation as he thought about the rest of the time he would spend at school alongside you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's note
How was the last time I posted in july?
Hello everyone! Thank you so much for reading!
There wasn't much romance going on here but hopefully you can see the story's meant to hint at it! It was fun writing this story and I intend to produce more in the future!
Until next time!
gummygunk
discoholicmusic
romaincrisis
stormborns
prguitarman
