-17- Different reasons
After leaving the gymnasium, the atmosphere among Hori, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Horikita Suzune, and Kushida Kikyou became somewhat subtle.
Clearly, the recent encounter had stirred various emotions among the four of them.
Even Hori realized the immense power of the student council and its president during the club recruitment event.
"It seems that after today, that student council president will keep an eye on me," Hori speculated, almost confirming it based on Horikita Manabu's reaction. "If he wasn't genuinely interested in me, with Horikita Manabu's status and abilities, he wouldn't have bothered to interact with me publicly like that."
Naturally, after today's events, Hori would become a hot topic at school. However, such discussions wouldn't last long. In the eyes of outsiders, Hori was just a student who ran fast. Even if he caught the attention of the student council president, the hype wouldn't last.
"The only club that might approach me would be the track and field club," Hori decided. "I'll just decline outright. I have no interest in club activities."
Finally, the accompanying girls reacted.
"Well, that's it for today. I have to go have tea with my friends," Kushida Kikyou said sweetly, as if nothing had happened just now. "Nanaya-kun, Horikita-sun, Ayanokouji-kun, thank you for joining me at the club recruitment event. Let's hang out together again sometime."
With that, Kushida Kikyou waved to everyone and left.
Her departure snapped Horikita Suzune, who had been absent-minded, back to reality.
"Sigh..."
After a rare sigh, Horikita Suzune left on her own. Compared to Kushida Kikyou's cheerful farewell, she was the complete opposite.
Thus, only Hori and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka remained.
"Today was quite eventful," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka remarked, watching Horikita Suzune leave without any change in tone. "And, I didn't expect Horikita to react like that. The student council president is really something."
"If he were simple, he wouldn't become the student council president in this exceptionally peculiar school," Hori replied calmly. "Don't you think so?"
"Perhaps," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka responded disinterestedly. "But is this school really that peculiar?"
"Don't you think so?" Hori asked casually. "For example, the exceptional treatment. Don't you find it unsettling?"
"It is a bit unsettling," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka admitted nonchalantly. "But, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Just accept it straightforwardly, right?"
At that moment, Hori turned to Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, his eyes gleaming with depth.
"Is that what you really think?" Hori's voice was sharp, like a blade.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka turned to Hori, his eyes, devoid of expression, dark like stagnant water.
Then, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka responded, "Is there something wrong with thinking that way?"
Hori smiled then, a smile that didn't reveal anything.
"Perhaps," Hori replied shortly, ending the conversation.
Soon after, the two of them started walking towards the first-year student dormitories.
Of course, during this process, they didn't remain completely silent.
"Who do you think the person the student council president mentioned, who left the blank test and skipped the interview during the entrance exam, is?" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka asked suddenly, without any warning.
Hori didn't react excessively to this.
"Who knows," Hori simply replied. "But I'm more interested in the person who scored 50 points on all subjects in the exam."
"Is that so?" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka replied expressionlessly. "Isn't that just a coincidence?"
"One or two coincidences can be just coincidences, but once they pile up, it becomes an absolute inevitability," Hori said without countering Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's statement. "Language, mathematics, English, social studies, science, just these alone make up five subjects, not to mention the rest. So many coincidences, don't you think it's a bit too much?"
"But you still can't deny that it could be a coincidence," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka said in the same tone. "But the person who gave up the entire entrance exam is truly exceptional. If they didn't want to attend this school, why bother taking the entrance exam? And if they did participate, why skip both the written and interview parts?"
Upon hearing this, Hori stopped in his tracks. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka immediately followed suit, silently gazing at Hori. Hori bore Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's gaze and spoke with a smirk.
"What do you want to ask, Ayanokouji-kun?" This was a direct conversation.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka didn't miss this opportunity.
"Shall I just ask directly?" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka didn't seem affected at all. "The person who skipped the entrance exam is you, isn't it, Nanaya?"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's question didn't prompt Hori to deny it.
"One question each," Hori raised his head, looking at Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. "The person who scored 50 on all subjects in the exam is you, isn't it, Ayanokouji?"
"...It's me," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka fell silent for a moment, then seemed to make a judgment that admitting it wouldn't hurt, and said to Hori, "Now it's your turn to answer my question."
"Sure," Hori replied straightforwardly. "It's indeed me, no mistake."
So, the two rare students mentioned by Horikita Manabu were indeed Hori and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
"May I ask another question?" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka inquired, probing deeply. "Why did you leave the written test blank? And why skip the interview? Aren't you afraid of not getting into the school?"
"Still, one question each," Hori didn't rush to answer, saying, "Since you can control your scores so accurately, indicating your academic prowess, why did you deliberately do this?"
"...There's nothing strange about it," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka sighed and said, "I just don't want to attract too much attention."
A classic answer from a recluse.
It seems that from the beginning, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka intended to maintain this reclusive attitude and quietly be an inconspicuous student.
"It's your turn now?" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka urged after giving his answer.
Hori shrugged and held out his hands.
"Similarly, there's nothing strange about it," Hori replied.
"Just because there's no need."