Waiting for the noodles to cook, I thought to myself, "It should finish boiling by any minute now..."

I was currently preparing a slice of chicken parmesan for dinner, a breaded chicken breast meal covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella, parmesan, or provolone cheese on top. A dish originating from the Italian diaspora during the twentieth century.

I'd never eaten Italian cuisine before, so I figured, why not make it for dinner? having already purchased all of the necessary components for the recipe, I didn't see any reason why I shouldn't.

Of course, I am more aware than anybody else of the importance of not squandering too many private points on cooking supplies and ingredients, but who can blame me for wanting to try something new?

I was startled out of my thoughts when my phone, which had been placed on the study table, began to ring noisily. I turned off the stove to avoid overcooking the noodles and went to get my phone.

When I first took up the phone, I was greeted by Hirata's contact information on the screen. He was presently attempting to call me. Why was he contacting me so late in the evening? Was there anything he needed to talk to me about? Or perhaps he simply wanted to spend time with me and have a friendly talk.

Well, I wouldn't know unless I picked up the phone and answered it. To answer his call, I swiped the green button with the white telephone silhouette upwards while putting the phone on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Good evening Ayanokouji-Kun! Sorry for calling you so suddenly. I hope I'm not bothering you from doing something important."

"I'm only cooking dinner for myself right now but other than that, I'm not doing anything really productive," I replied nonchalantly.

"I see... I'm glad then." Although we were on voice call, I could guess that he probably had a warm smile on his face.

"Do you perhaps have some business with me? It's rare for you to phone me at this hour."

This was the first time we'd actually called each other, but based on the amount of time we've spent texting, he's normally not online from daybreak until early morning. I'm assuming he wants to chat with me about something serious.

"Actually...There is. Is it okay if I visit your room right now?"

I wasn't expecting him to make such a request so late in the evening. Is what he wants to say to me so vital that we must meet in person? Or is it possible that he just wants to hang out? If it's the latter, I won't be able to avoid declining him.

"Can you tell me why you need to come into my room?" I inquired about the obvious.

"Something important has come up, and we'd like your input on it."

We? So he and someone else need my opinion on something...

"If it's truly that important, I suppose it's alright. By the way, do you want me to prepare dinner for you and the person accompanying you?"

I sincerely hope he is only coming to my room with just one person. If there are several, my room may become cluttered.

"Oh, we're fine. We can't burden you more than we already have. Plus we already had dinner during our mall hang out with Class B."

Ah, that's right. I had instructed Hirata and Kushida to strengthen the bond between Class D and Class B by hanging out with them whenever the occasion arose. Hopefully, our friendship will expand to the point where they will consider forming a mutual partnership with us.

"Okay then. I'll see you in a few minutes." I said as I hung up the phone and returned

I pulled out my tongs and gently lifted the pasta from the hot, boiling deep-pan, placing it on a black plate nearby.

tea then put on my mitten glove and opened the oven to remove the frying pan containing my completely cooked chicken parmesan. I set the frying pan on the kitchen table and used a spatula to spread the solitary slice of chicken parmesan over the black plate's noodles.

With little to no difficulty, I can confidently state that I nailed it when it came to creating this dish. It looked straight up mouthwatering and appetizing to me, and I was inclined to devour it straight immediately. I then took the black plate and set it on the dining room table. I got my knife and fork and was ready to dig, when suddenly...

I could only sigh in exasperation hearing the knocks. Couldn't they have shown up just a few minutes later?

Well, I suppose I should congratulate Hirata and his companion. They're the first people to be able to put me, the demon of the fourth generation, in a state of vexation.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was already 7:37 p.m. So, it's this late already huh?

I put down my utensils and got out of my chair. I approached the door and gently opened it, only to be greeted by Hirata and... Karuizawa. Karuizawa was the last person I had anticipated to be the one who would tag along with him.

Hirata smiled as he said, "Good evening, Ayanokouji-kun."

"Wonderful evening..." Karuizawa, on the other hand, wore a solemn countenance.

"Please come in. Feel free to sit in whichever chair you choose. You are also welcome to sit on the bed." I welcomed them and I wrench open the door for them to enter.

"Pardon the intrusion~" They expressed their gratitude by bowing.

They then removed their shoes and sat in their designated areas, Hirata on the chair and Karuizawa on my bed. I was a little taken aback by her choice of seat because it was the first time a girl had sat on my bed, but I didn't want to get worked up over it.

"Do you guys want anything to drink?" I offered.

"Hm... If it's not too much trouble, I'll have a cup of coffee. Karuizawa-San, how about you?" Hirata deflected the question.

"I'm just going to have a cup of green tea instead. Thanks." Karuizawa said in a very meek tone.

Her flippant, haughty, and prideful demeanor she showcases in front of others was suddenly nowhere to be found. Was this Karuizawa Kei's true personality hidden beneath her pompous mask? But hey, maybe I'm simply overthinking things as I often do.

"As far as beverages go, I don't have any hot ones right now. I only have two cold cans of green tea and one can of coffee. Will that be acceptable to both of you?" In answer to my worry, they merely nodded.

I opened the fridge and took the two bottles of cans from it. I then hurled both of them in Hirata and Karuizawa's directions. I may have tossed Karuizawa's green tea can with too much power because she had to lean back and fumble to get it. If I were a normal adolescent boy, I'd be laughing out loud at her circumstance, but sadly, I still have not figured out how to do so.

"Ayanokouji-kun, I'm sure you're curious as to why we've come. Karuizawa-san, I'll leave the explaining to you." Hirata remarked as he handed her the baton.

She was visibly squirming and hesitant to open her mouth, struggling to express what she wanted to say, which was in stark contrast to how she usually acts. She seemed worried and nervous, and I could tell. I have to tread carefully so she doesn't feel pressured and bullied into telling me what's on her mind.

"Karuizawa-San, please calm down. I'm confident that Ayanokouji-Kun will be able to assist us in resolving this issue." Karuizawa was reassured by Hirata.

She seemed hesitant for a brief second but decided to face me anyway. Whatever it is that's troubling her right now, I'm about to discover right now.

"Can you promise me, Ayanokouji-kun, that anything we talk about in this room will stay in this room?" She begged. Her desperation could be seen in her eyes and in her actions.

"I get what you mean. I'll keep it to myself if it's something you want to keep secret." I responded. It's only reasonable for me to reciprocate in kind because Hirata had put his trust in me on this.

"Thank you..." After a long sigh, she continued. "You see... I was bullied a lot since my elementary days."

Bullied? That was certainly unexpected. Could the traumas she's suffered as a result of the bullying be the reason she puts on such a rough and harsh persona in public? That is the most likely plausible outcome I could think of.

I didn't bother to interrupt her since I didn't believe it was necessary, and I assumed that she would prefer that I let her explain everything first before asking questions about her sensitive background. Seeing that I was silent, she continued.

"I've been the victim of both verbal and physical abuse. My own classmates would harass, punch, kick, spit on me, and whatever else you can think of..." Karuizawa narrated, her eyes welling up with tears. "My desk was always vandalized, and there wasn't a day that went by without my pouring large amounts of dirty water in the bathroom... The only term that comes to mind to express what I went through is hell. Then I went to this school and finally got away from it all. Nobody knows who I am... However, I'm still afraid that the same things might happen again..." she concluded.

I could see it took all of Karuizawa's bravery to open up on what she had gone through in the past.

It takes a lot of courage to reveal your vulnerabilities to others. Humans in one have things they hide from others in one manner or another for fear of being criticized or reprimanded. For example, you may be self-conscious about your appearance, or you may have experienced something very traumatic in the past that has profoundly impacted or injured you as a person.

Naturally, not everyone is brave enough to share their troubles with others, even those closest to them. "If you ever need someone to rely on, you can count on me," people would normally remark. "You can tell me your problems; I'm here for you," or "You don't have to do everything alone; I'm here to help you." And the recipient who receives those encouraging comments will feel obligated to tell them about their sins or insecurities. It would be easier for you to bear that weight if you could share it with someone.

It's that easy right? Unfortunately, only a naive and idealistic fool would believe it was that simple. Sure, getting things off your chest to someone might make you feel better, but how do you know that person will keep your secret? How can you tell whether they're someone trustworthy or not? How do you know that they won't utilize your secrets to exploit you? The answer is... You don't. You can only hope and rely that they will follow through with their promises.

The world is a dreadful place populated by self-centered and unloving individuals. Not everyone is who they portray themselves to be, and most people are well aware of this. That is why some people find it difficult to express their actual sentiments to others; they are afraid of being betrayed if they place their faith in someone. That is the unfortunate and sobering truth about this unfair world that we live in.

Was I speaking about this from my own personal experience? Obviously not. I'm merely expressing my thoughts on the subject. I knew more than anyone else that I was one of those self-serving individuals who wouldn't hesitate to stoop so low as to employ unspeakable methods that society would regard as rotten or cruel as long as they benefited me in the end. Was that a feature of myself that I despised? Not really. That's just the type of person I really am.

As of right now, Karuizawa is in a very vulnerable state so I'll do my best to at least appear empathetic in this situation.

"I see... Thank you for trusting me, Karuizawa. But why did you bring Hirata into this? Can he perhaps help you in some way?" I asked.

"Well... I attempted to persuade Hirata-Kun to become my lover. Of course, I have no romantic feelings for him, so we'll just pretend like we're in a relationship. Hirata-Kun, on the other hand, didn't believe it was a good idea. That's why we'd want to hear your thoughts on the subject." Karuizawa clarified.

Ah, so that's what she's aiming for.

"Hirata can choose whether or not he wants to be your boyfriend, even if it's just for show. But if you want my opinion on the subject... I believe Karuizawa makes a more compelling case." I expressed my point of view. "The issue is that it's too early for the both of you to get into a relationship right now. Given that we've only been at this school for five days, people are bound to be suspicious of how the two of you became so close so soon."

I was planning to Hirata-Kun in about two to three weeks, but some of the other girls were preparing to confess to him first, so I... I got desperate and approached him sooner than expected." Karuizawa explained.

"But why pick me?" Hirata asked the main question.

"Please don't tell any of the girls that I told you both this, but the girls have secretly compiled a popularity ranking list of our year's boys. Ayanokouji-Kun is currently in the lead, followed by Matsuo-Kun and Hirata-Kun. I think you would be the best option since most girls would prefer a mature prince charming type of guy. Because you'll be well-known, I'll be able to use that to my advantage to boost my own social standing. Any attempts by others to bully me would evaporate in an instant."

I was surprised to hear that Karuizawa had gone to a lot of effort to think things through. I guess she's not quite as stupid as I assumed, don't tell her that though.

"It seems like you've already thought this through, Karuizawa-San," Hirata commented.

"I have for a couple of days actually. I've even already made up of a story I could tell the girls when Hirata-Kun and I announce our relationship in public." Karuizawa, who had been agitated the entire time, suddenly showed signs of resuming her usual happy demeanor.

"That's interesting... Before we wrap up our conversation, I have one more question. Have you considered Ayanokouji-Kun or Mastuo-Kun as alternatives? Isn't it likely that they'll become popular in the near future as well?"

Even if Karuizawa had asked for my assistance, I would have denied instantly. I wasn't soft-hearted enough to feel sorry for Karuizawa's predicament so I could play the role of her boyfriend. In either case, I would have recommended Hirata or Eichiiro.

I'm planning on leading the class soon. Faking a relationship would only add to the chaos and exhaustion that already exists in my life.

Plus, I was curious about learning the feeling of love as well. Despite the fact that I find Karuizawa to be pretty attractive, I have no desire to go out with her.

"Well I did consider Matsuo-Kun as an option first, but he sometimes hangs out with the idiots of our class. Although I don't think he's a pervert, some of the girls might get the wrong idea about him. For Ayanokouji-Kun, He's already done a lot for our class so I didn't want to end up burdening him more. Plus, I didn't want to ruin the relationship that he and Horikita-San had going on."

Woah woah woah woah, do people actually still think me and Horikita are dating? Damn it, I really need to clear this up as soon as possible before the whole school starts believing this false rumor.

"Let me correct you there Karuizawa, nothing is going on between me and Horikita. We are simply just seatmates who interact with each other from time to time." I made my point clear.

"Eh? Really? But I heard from a few girls that they spotted you and Horikita-San were out on a date at Palate cafe. They've even taken pictures of it."

She took out her phone and went to the school's discussion board. She then thrust her phone in my face, exposing a photo of Horikita and myself waiting in line. So they did, in fact, capture photographs...

"We weren't on a date just because we were hanging out together. I simply requested her to accompany me to the cafe because it was largely filled with women and I didn't feel bold enough to go alone."

"Hoho, I see~ once I tell the girls that you and Horikita-San aren't dating, They'll surely feel relieved and overjoyed at this revelation."

Am I really that popular with women? I mean, I knew my popularity with the females would skyrocket once I started showcasing my abilities, but I didn't expect them to be this drawn to me.

"Anyways it's getting late now, you both should probably head back now," I advised, ignoring Karuizawa's last remark.

"Ah, thank you for listening to the both of us today Ayanokouji-Kun!" Hirata expressed his gratitude.

"Yeah thanks, Ayanokouji-Kun... I'll be counting on you and Hirata-Kun to help me when I need you both"

"If you ever need help from me or Hirata, please don't hesitate on calling either of us. Just don't cause some unnecessary trouble for the class." She nodded as a response and with that, they exited my dorm.

Today was quite an eventful day.

To be honest, I agreed with Karuizawa's suggestion that they form a fictitious relationship not because I didn't feel sorry for her. Truthfully, I couldn't care less about what happens to Karuizawa.

Her influence will soar both inside and beyond the class once she and Hirata reveal their connection. She'll eventually gain control of the girls in our class and emerge as their leader, providing me with the final element I require to keep our class stable.

She'll be a very useful puppet for me to control.

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Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite it being so short.

I forgot to mention this but while they were discussing, Ayanokouji was still eating his dinner so don't worry, he didn't forget to eat.

Anyways, I will upload one more chapter before not uploading for five days straight since I have my exams.

Also, there will be two more chapters until the May 1st reveal.

To new viewers, I did a poll back a month ago about the OAA app, and most of the readers agreed to install it a year early or May 1st will contain the OAA rankings.

Now my version of the OAA might have a different definition than the one in the LN, so expect some different results.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say for today.

Sayonara! (✿^‿^)👋👋