Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
"Shimizu, after discussions between me and the other members of the boxing club these past few days, we've unanimously decided to have you participate in this month's exhibition match!"
As Akira took the elevator to the fourth floor and was pulling out his phone from his pocket, Club President Sato's voice suddenly came through the earpiece.
"Huh? Me?!" Akira was startled and subconsciously replied.
"Yes! The exhibition match is set for next Tuesday! As you know, students are already tired of watching us old guys compete. It's time to put you newcomers out there to show what you can do! Among these new recruits, your physical fitness is the most outstanding, so we naturally chose you. Don't worry, it's just an exhibition match, not a real fight to the death. Just relax." Club President Sato explained on the other end of the phone.
"Oh, and the boxing club won't treat you badly. The appearance fee will be 50,000 private points, and afterward, you'll get additional commission based on the number of attendees and the live reaction." He added, his tone laced with a hint of temptation.
Akira pressed, "So who's my opponent? It won't be an upperclassman from the second or third year, will it?"
"Don't worry, he's a first-year, just like you. The exact person will only be decided after the tryouts tomorrow after school." Club President Sato replied.
"In any case, the boxing club is really taking this exhibition match of yours seriously." Club President Sato's voice conveyed a sense of drive. "Send me a selfie in the next two days. Make sure it's spirited and handsome! I'll use it to print flyers to attract more students to watch."
"Also, get your gloves ready. You were still using the club's old pair last month, weren't you? They're quite worn out. Buy a new pair yourself. Even though it's just an exhibition match, tattered gloves look cheap and will somewhat affect the audience's perception."
"Come to the boxing club tomorrow evening too, just to show your face. After all, the opponent needs to know who he's fighting, right?"
After saying all this, Club President Sato hung up the phone.
Akira thought about it. He really should buy a new pair of boxing gloves.
The pair he'd used last month had been used for a long time, and a lot of the paint on the surface was peeling off.
Since it was an exhibition match, it'd definitely be more about performance.
Wearing worn-out gloves would certainly affect the audience's perception.
As for the selfie!
He didn't have one at the moment.
It seemed he'd need to find time to go to a photo studio to take one.
He suddenly remembered that Sakura seemed to have a camera.
'I'll find some time tomorrow and ask her to help me take one.'
'She's a professional gravure idol, after all, so her photography skills should be very reliable.'
Akira quickly settled on this method.
Of course, he'd properly reciprocate, for example, by treating her to a meal or directly transferring some points.
As for whether she'd refuse...
That wasn't urgent. If she refused, he'd just think of another way.
It was just a matter of asking.
The matter of the boxing gloves wasn't as simple. He had to go to a professional sports equipment store. After all, he needed to try them on the spot and carefully select the right size based on his palm, so this trip was unavoidable.
After making up his mind, Akira continued walking toward his dormitory.
His gaze casually swept over, only to see a man standing at the door of room 401 next door—Ayanokoji's room.
He got closer before recognizing him as Sudo from the same class.
Sudo was taking a room card out of his pocket, seemingly intending to put it on Ayanokoji's doorknob.
It looked like he was planning to open Ayanokoji's room with the room card.
"Sudo-kun," Akira couldn't help but ask, "how do you have Ayanokoji-kun's room card? Did he allow it?"
He clearly remembered the front desk staff saying on the first day of school that whether it was couples or friends, only with the explicit permission of the person concerned could one possess their room card.
He never expected that someone as calm and distant-looking as Ayanokoji would be close enough to Sudo to hand over a room card.
Sudo scratched his head and replied somewhat awkwardly. "No! This is a spare room card that I, Ike, and Yamauchi discussed and made ourselves. This room is now our team's meeting place... Actually, I've run into a big~ problem."
Ayanokoji also heard the commotion outside, and the door clicked open.
He looked at Sudo with a puzzled expression.
"Save me, Ayanokoji!" Sudo immediately pleaded with a bitter face when he saw him.
"Wait, put your problem aside for a moment and give me the spare room card you made." Ayanokoji reached out first, wanting to take back his room card.
"Huh? Why?" Sudo retorted righteously. "This is a room card I bought with points, so it should naturally belong to me!"
"What kind of logic is that? It makes no sense at all!" Akira's brows furrowed instantly. "Even if it's a room card you made yourself, that doesn't mean it's legitimate for you to hold it!"
The other party's words were too outrageous. If he followed that logic, even thieves would be able to legitimately make keys.
He couldn't help but emphasize, "For example, if someone else held your spare room card, would you feel at ease? What's more, you're here to ask Ayanokoji-kun for help, aren't you? Shouldn't your attitude be more humble and you should properly ask him?"
Sudo choked, opening his mouth to retort, but after thinking about it, he was indeed there to ask for a favor. He lowered his head, fumbled in his pocket for the room card, and handed it over. "Uh... then, I'll give you the room card back." He scratched the back of his head, his voice becoming indistinct. "I also heard Ike and Yamauchi say it was fine... Um, I'm sorry."
Ayanokoji still leaned against the doorframe. After taking back his spare room card, his fingertips lightly traced the edge of the card, his gaze calmly fixed on Sudo, his tone devoid of emotion. "...Who else has my spare room card?"
Sudo felt an inexplicable chill from his gaze, always feeling that Ayanokoji at this moment seemed to have suddenly changed into a different person, his aura a few degrees colder. He swallowed and honestly replied, "Only Ike and Yamauchi have them."
"...Is that so?" Ayanokoji nodded slightly, then abruptly changed the subject. "Then what price do you intend to pay for my help?"
"Huh?! But I don't have any points! After all, this month's points haven't been distributed yet!" Sudo was completely bewildered, his mouth agape, unable to react for a long time.
Ayanokoji's gaze swept over him indifferently and he repeated, "I don't want to be a tool."
This made Akira look at Ayanokoji more closely.
If he remembered correctly, Ayanokoji had said those exact words to him just last month.
"Aren't we friends?!" Sudo got anxious.
"Friends don't mean one can be unilaterally exploited." Ayanokoji's voice remained flat.
Ayanokoji looked at Sudo's crestfallen face, was silent for a moment, then added, "You can go find Hirata-san and Kushida. They should be able to help you solve the problem."
His tone was devoid of emotion, neither urging nor perfunctory, but rather like stating a simple fact.