Checkmate

Assembly

**Ayanokoji's POV**

Horikita and I made it just in time for the opening ceremony, taking seats near the back. The front rows were reserved for third-year students, the middle rows for second years, and the rear for first years.

As we listened to the speakers-teachers and former students-we regretted rushing to the ceremony. It was incredibly dull, and I could see Horikita stifling a yawn.

Eventually, a student named Manabu Horikita stepped on stage to give his speech.

"Horikita?" I muttered in surprise.

"He's my older brother," Horikita replied.

"He's also the student council president?"

"Looks like it," she said. "Good for him, I suppose. Maybe being in the student council could help us reach Class A."

I considered her point. "This school gives us special exams, rewards us with points for achievements, and organizes various events. The student council probably plays a big role in all that."

"Maybe joining the student council would give us a chance to influence things in our favor," Horikita suggested.

"We'll see," I replied.

I scanned the room, noticing some of our classmates deep in thought. It seemed like a lot to take in for many of them.

A flash of lilac hair caught my eye. It belonged to a girl who appeared small for her age, but she had a certain authority, with companions following her every move. I turned to Horikita. "I think she might be the leader of Class A. She looks smart and has a commanding presence. There's also that bald guy-I think he could be a leader too, but I don't have much to back it up. If I'm right, their class might be divided, which could work in our favor."

"Good observation, Ayanokoji," Horikita remarked. "Over there, see that guy who's a bit too aggressive with his companions? He's probably the leader of Class C. He prefers to use force more than brains, a typical tyrant approach. Looking at his muscles, he seems like he'd be a good fighter."

Finding the Class B leader was a bit tougher, but eventually, I spotted her.

"Did you find the Class B leader?" Horikita asked.

"I think so," I replied. "I suspect it's the girl with pink hair. Everyone seems to gravitate toward her. She's all about kindness and teamwork, unlike the brute force in Class C. They're opposites."

"Well observed," Horikita complimented.

After we returned from the opening ceremony, Sensei handed out some papers, which she was supposed to give us earlier, and dismissed us early-a surprise for the first day of school.

"It's strange to see most of our class refraining from going out and spending, especially after they had made so many plans. If it weren't for Horikita and me, they'd have blown through a lot of points," I thought while preparing to leave for the day.

I decided to head back to my dorm to relax.

Later in the day, I got curious about what a convenience store looked like. I'd never been to one before.

So I decided to head to the convenience store and arrived there within 20 minutes

"The shop's pretty quiet today. I guess not many people come during these hours," I thought as I wandered through the store, browsing items I couldn't afford because all our points had been given to Sensei on the first day.

I strolled into the noodle section and picked up a pack of instant ramen to check the ingredients. Suddenly, Horikita appeared beside me.

"These noodles aren't very healthy. I hope you're not planning to eat them," she said.

"When did you get here?" I asked, startled.

"Just now," she replied.

"Good advice about not shopping on an empty stomach," I said with a nod. "Not like we can buy much anyway."

"True," Horikita said. "But I'm planning to make dinner tonight. Would you like to join me?"

I raised an eyebrow. "With what? We don't have any points. And are you sure you're okay with inviting me to your place?"

'The internet says to double-check with women, just in case.' Ayanokoji thought to himself

Horikita showed me her phone. "Look."

I saw that she had 100,000 private points. "How did you-"

"I made some bets with some seniors and won," she explained, cutting me off.

"What kind of bets?" I asked, curious.

"Academic ones," she replied.

"Maybe I should try that," I said thoughtfully.

"Do it fast before the seniors catch on," Horikita said. "Now, give me your phone."

"Why?"

"Just trust me," she insisted.

I handed her my phone, and she quickly did something with it.

"Here," she said, giving it back.

I checked my balance and saw that 50,000 points had been transferred from Horikita. She smiled slightly. "As for your other question, you're different from most boys. I trust you. Plus, I doubt your father taught you how to cook, and you'd probably kill yourself with unhealthy food in the long run."

"Fair point. Thanks," I said, genuinely grateful.

"If a friend doesn't help, then who will?" she said with a small smile again.

"What time should I come over?" I asked.

"How about 4:15? Does that work for you?" Horikita replied.

I nodded and I decided to join her for a bit of shopping since I have no idea what I am doing.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked.

"Sure, if that's what you want." Horikita said.

We walked around the store, stopping at the shampoo section. Horikita picked out a bottle, and I commented, "It's not too cheap or too expensive. Just the right balance."

"Balance is everything," she replied. "Too much joy can get boring, and too much studying can be exhausting."

"I agree, though I haven't had much joy in my life," I admitted.

"Nothing's stopping you now," Horikita said. "Enjoy yourself, but don't get addicted. Don't waste time."

I moved toward the candy section, and Horikita teased, "You're like a kid in an adult's body, aren't you?"

"Maybe," I replied. "What's this?" I asked, pointing to some snacks.

"That's a chocolate bar, and these are chips," she explained.

"Interesting," I said. "What about that?"

"That's ice cream, and that's yogurt."

"Interesting, I should try all of these," I said.

"Just don't go overboard," Horikita warned. "A lot of this stuff is high in calories and fat. Keep it balanced."

"Got it," I replied, as we headed toward the checkout. That's when I noticed a chessboard.

"Do you play?" Horikita asked.

"I'm okay. What about you?"

"I haven't played in a while," she replied.

"Want to play after dinner?" I suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," she said with a nod.

As we left the store, I felt good about having some extra points and company. I had a feeling things were about to get interesting, especially when I saw a man with short red hair arguing with some seniors outside. This was shaping up to be an interesting year.