(3rd PoV)
Horikita watched Hajime's back with a complicated expression.
"...Don't tell me you are jealous?"
"Shut up. You think too highly of yourself. I mean, we aren't even friends. Why will I get jealous?"
When they were kids, she unilaterally ended their friendship to emulate her brother, who has no friends.
But he kept calling himself as her childhood friend, constantly interfering in her life and attacking her brother.
When someone tried to bully her in the past, she always got back at them by beating them up. She is strong. She doesn't need anyone to help her, just like her brother.
But he still interfered and used his position as the Class Representative to target them unnecessarily.
...Not because he considered her a childhood friend, but pitiful?
Why didn't he just say that he was bullying Ayanokoji because he got jealous?
Why does this hurt... She has never felt like this before...
Hasn't she already decided that she doesn't need anyone? Just like her brother?
"Suzune, learn from your brother. He got full marks in his exams."
"Suzune, learn from your brother. He got first place in the school festival."
"Suzune, stop playing and go to study. Why can't you be more like your brother?"
Even her mostly absent parents always encouraged her to be like her brother.
But why does he keep fighting against her perfect brother?
Something is really wrong with that idiot.
But the way he stormed off just now...
...What if stops pestering her?
Horikita slapped her cheeks.
'What the hell am I thinking!?'
Horikita huffed, and went back to the convenience store to finish her shopping.
...Wait a minute! Didn't he also come here for shopping? And she dragged him out of there!
She messaged him.
["Tell me what you needed to buy and your room number. I will drop it off for you."]
She waited for a long time. But no reply came.
Even though it was marked as 'read'.
'...Is he ignoring me?'
She called him.
29 full times.
Yet he was still not answering.
She messaged him.
458 times.
Yet it was all on read and he wasn't responding.
Horikita didn't even realise that she has been moping behind the convenience store for whole 7 hours now. Without eating or drinking anything.
She didn't even realise when afternoon has turned into night.
For some reason, tears started dripping from her eyes as she stood there.
----------------
Ayanokoji has been exposed on the first day.
He came to this school in order to understand what an ordinary life is.
He even managed to talk to a pretty girl, who incidentally has neither big nor small things, just perfect.
Though she is ruder and more socially inept than he is.
Everything was going well. He was talking normally, joking about a razor blade.
But then her childhood friend came around.
And just because his expression didn't change a bit when Horikita said not having any hair down there, he declared him a psycho.
Moreover, he asked if he is related to that man after searching about Ayanokoji on the internet.
According to that guy called Hajime Hayato, he is either someone who has too much experience with all kinds of girls, is gay, or a psycho.
If any such label stuck, his social life will be over before it began.
He doesn't want to be alone for the three years in this school. But if any such label stuck, he will not be able to make any friends.
So it's best to avoid Horikita and her childhood friend, and Kushida who he told him is a psycho.
Hajime has also threatened him to change his seat to get away from her, so he will do just that.
He doesn't want to get beaten up.
After buying his things, perhaps becoming friends with a temperamental Sudo, he went to the dorms.
Room 401.
Should he greet his neighbour?
...What if he flunked his introduction like he did in the class?
He will just make some friends in his class.
He ate cup noodles and ice-cream for the first time in his life.
They tasted very good, but he liked ice cream better.
So at midnight, he went to buy another one. Convenience store is open 24×7.
And in the dead of night, he heard sound of someone sobbing behind the store.
He was curious, so he couldn't help but peek.
The crying person was Horikita.
Ayanokoji knew that the best thing to do is get away from here, and act like he didn't see anything.
"Who's there!?"
But Horikita was very perspective. Even in this state, she immediately realised that someone is looking at her.
"I didn't see anything."
She wiped her tears, and glared him.
"You just came out instead of running away on getting discovered? You really are a psycho."
...
"I am not a psycho. Why are you crying?"
"Shut up. I am not. Leave me alone."
"Why don't you go to your room and cry there? Why are you crying her in the middle of night?"
"Night?"
Horikita was confused and looked up.
It really was midnight.
"Eh!?"
She looked at the time on her phone. 12:09 am.
She was stunned. What sort of stupid thing has she been doing!?
She wiped her face, hmph'ed at Ayanokoji, and went to the dorm building.
Ayanokoji followed her!
Normally, she would have beaten him up. But him being a psycho is now stuck in her mind.
What if he has a knife on him!?
Moreover, the reception was closed. And she hasn't gotten her room number and key card.
Ayanokoji's psycho eyes kept staring at her!
Will he pull out a knife here?
Horikita quickly called her brother. It's a matter of life and death, there is no time to be nervous!
"Suzune—"
"What's your room number? I forgot to ask for my room number and keys, and the reception is closed."
"What were you doing all this time then?"
"I just forgot."
Manabu narrowed his eyes.
As if such a thing can be forgotten.
And from her voice, it seems like she had been crying.
Manabu isn't good at comforting anyone.
Moreover, he felt like the reason for her crying must be Hajime. Did she finally succeed in pushing him away, and is now crying because of it?
Thankfully, Hajime has already texted him his room number and told him to come to his room tomorrow.
So, Manabu lied, "402."
"Alright. I am coming."
"Hmm."
Horikita cut the call, and Manabu smirked.
Maybe he will hear some good news this morning.
Horikita took the elevator, and Ayanokoji didn't follow her, even though his room is 401.
It seems like she got scared of him. If he said that his room is on the same floor, she wouldn't believe him and maybe even scream.
That will be the complete end of his social life.
So now that the problem of her staying the night is solved, he didn't linger any longer and went to the convenience store to buy his ice-cream.
Maybe he should try chocolate flavor this time?