Kiyotaka's Point of View

SPECIAL EXAM. The first thing that comes to mind upon hearing that word would normally be writing exams or practical tests related to sports or something along the lines of that. However, at the school I and Axel attend, the Advanced Nurturing High School, special exams aren't simple things like that.

A special exam that pits classes against each other in a survival test on an uninhabited island, or an intellectually demanding game that pits liars against liars on a cruise ship. Such tests that surpass logic continued one after another over the course of the summer vacation.

For a first-year student like me, the days of brief respite from all that, including today, numbered only seven days.

"Well, I couldn't care less."

I'm already satisfied with my current situation, just having my freedom with Axel. I don't wish for any extra happiness.

There are things I can still do without many connections with the others. As a matter of fact I'm doing one of those things right now, using my phone to access my point balance. I saw on the screen that I currently had 106,219 points. Of them, I transferred 100,000 points to one of my classmates, Sudo Ken. And not too long after, the person who received the transfer, Sudo, called me.

"Yo, Ayanokouji. What are you doing right now?"

"Nothing really. Just wondering what's for dinner tonight." Well I already ate but I just don't know what to say.

Axel is currently in his room, doing something that I don't know. I sighed.

"Heh, for myself, I just now ate some chicken tenders. Tastes all right, but I'd definitely get tired of them if I ate them too often, so I try to change things up a bit. Ah, that's not important at all. What I wanted to talk to you about is fortune telling."

"Huh? Do I look like a psychic to you?"

For a simpleton like Sudou, I hardly imagined he was interested in fortune-telling.

"Honestly, there's a crazy-accurate fortune-teller over at the Keyaki Mall, but they're only gonna be there during summer vacation. I guess it's big among the seniors. Even when I'm doing club stuff, all anyone talks about is that fortune-teller. Wanna check it out with me? My treat, of course."

Sudo's invitation, huh? Speaking of Keyaki Mall, it seems to be that facility that students often use. Since students are obligated to live on school grounds, it is necessary to prepare the required facilities for students. But it's not as diverse and unlimited as the outside world.

Well, since I have nothing particular to do, I suppose I could spare some time for my friend. So, why not join him?

"When do you want to go?"

"I say tomorrow morning. Around 9.30, because the fortune telling starts at 10 sharp. It's popular, and you don't want to queue and wait for your turn forever." He said.

It seemed that Sudo had the schedule planned out.

"I have no problem with that time. But, don't you have club activities tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah, well. Tomorrow's my day off. The tournament ended, so it's fine. Besides, we've done nothing but train our butts off. It's fine to rest once in a while."

Sudou had just played in a basketball tournament. Even though I saw him quietly practicing day after day in preparation, I was admittedly kind of curious about the tournament's results. I might ask him about that tomorrow.

"So, what are you gonna do? Fortune-telling—you're going or not?"

"Not that I have anything planned to do. Sure, I'll go."

"That's great! Definitely invite Suzune out, too. Definitely. You understand?"

Ah. That's what you're planning. Then I'll bring Axel too.

"Okay."

Apparently, Sudou didn't actually want to go see the fortune-teller with me, but rather, with Horikita. He probably knew that, if he invited her himself, his chances of success were rather slim.

Ah I might ask Axel's help for inviting Horikita.

"I'll try. But I can't guarantee she will come with us tomorrow."

"Don't try it. You absolutely need to. If not, then there's no point for us to go out tomorrow." I sighed.

"Don't worry. The girls all love fortune-telling. I tell ya. You get it, right? After you invite her, get in touch with me. Okay? You have to. That's all."

With that, Sudou abruptly ended the call. I'd thought it was strange for Sudou to invite me to check out a fortune-teller. Well at least he was really after Horikita not to Axel.

I sighed and got up on my bed. I stretch my arms and dial Axel's number. A second later he answered my call.

"Hello Kiyo?"

"Do you want to go tomorrow to Keyaki Mall and try the Fortune teller?" I asked him. He hummed, and immediately answered.

"Fortune Teller huh, with whom?"

"Well Sudo invited me and he said I should invite Horikita. You see, I don't want to become a third wheel." I said, making Axel laugh.

"Sure sure, come to my room tomorrow! Help me with my outfit tomorrow."

"Sure, please invite Horikita for me. See you." He hummed as a response and after that I ended the call. I sighed and started looking for an outfit.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

I FACEPALM WHILE LOOKING AT AXEL, he puffed his cheeks. Start changing again. I am currently in his room and I was..I was helping him to pick an outfit for him.

"How about this?"

"Absolutely no." I darkened my eyes. That's a No No. No person beside me sees this. He nodded his head and quickly changed again.

"Here?"

"Seriously? Are we going to the festival?" I said with a deadpan expression.

"Well make sense."

"Ha! What about this?" Axel said and then he turned to me with a serious expression. I chuckle.

"You look hot, but No."

"Arrgh..."

"Hey hey look at this, Kiyo!" Axel said while running to my direction, he leaned on the wall and then stared at me.

I felt my ears become red.

"T-Too much, you look like a Mafia." he rolled his eyes and came back again with another outfit.

"There. You look good." I said with a slight smile. He crossed his arms and pouted. He also looked at me.

"Well, you also look good." he said. I pat his head and ruffle it.

"Hey! Don't ruin my hair style!"

"Hai Hai. Let's go."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

WHEN WE ARRIVE ON OUR MEETING SPOT, we already see Horikita and Sudou standing while waiting. When Horikita saw us, she immediately came towards us together with Sudou.

Axel waves his hand on them.

"Ayo Sudou-kun and Horikita." Axel said with a smile. Horikita rolled her eyes and pointed her finger at Sudo.

"Why this idiot here?"

"Oh he will be your partner for fortu–" before Axel finishes his sentence Horikita starts walking away. Sudo panic, I signal him to chase Horikita and then he nods and immediately follows Horikita.

"Pfft As expected to Horikita." Axel laughed. I sighed. He looked at me and grabbed my hand and we started walking.

"There are couples everywhere..." I mumbled. Axel looks around, and sees boys and girls standing in pairs all over. A number of them seemed to be in relationships. Of course, there were groups of only boys and only girls, but those were far fewer. Seeing a fortune-teller about a couple's future and romantic compatibility was common, I supposed?

I lean to Axel and whisper.

"Do we look like a couple?"

"Uwah! K-Kiyo don't startle me!" He let out a yell, I laughed a little. He punched me lightly on my shoulder.

"We can still have our fortunes read as a couple or fake couple, right?" When I said that he blushed but nodded.

"Y-Yeah, I'm a bit intrigued by this fortune-telling thing. I wonder what will be predicted."

"Next person please."

It was already our turn when I heard that small voice come from inside the temporarily set up facility.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting."

When we entered, we found a chamber that looked like something out of a television show. It was dark inside, probably around 30 lux. The fortune-teller appeared to be an elderly woman, but a hood obscured her face, so I couldn't make out her expression. She sat with a thick book, the contents of which I couldn't guess, and some kind of crystal ball.

It seems the crystal ball is shining even now as though it is reflecting Axel's and my future. And before the fortune-teller, there were two round seats with no backrests placed. I suppose that's where we are supposed to sit. And when the two of us sat down, the fortune-teller simply laughed briefly and her right hand moved.

"Before we start, you must pay up first."

The elderly woman pulled out a small card reader from under the table and placed it before us. From the breathtaking atmosphere that almost gave off the feeling of a fortune-telling museum, artifacts of modern civilization appeared like that and gave off an incongruous feeling.

Not that I expected the reading to be free, of course.

"What kind of fortune are you going to read?" Axel asked.

She took out her ID card and asked a question.

"It can be about your academics, career, love life, or anything you like."

The grin of fortune-telling was unsettling. It certainly gave off a strong feeling to the surrounding area, but more than a fortune-teller it looked to me as though she were a witch.

I looked at the list of prices she showed us.

It was oddly mismatched. They were separated into several categories. The "Basic Plan" package seemed to include the services the fortune-teller had already mentioned. There were special packages that even have options that let you see the end of your lifespan or how you met your end in your previous life too. Of course, since this was a couples' activity, many options were related to romance.

Regardless, every option was rather expensive. We'd be spending well over 5,000 points.

"That's quite expensive."

For a Class D student struggling with the matter of points each and every day, this seems to be a severe expense. I thought just in case as I checked my point balance on my phone. On the screen, my private points were displayed. The balance I currently had was roughly 6000 points so it seems like I can barely afford it.

Axel leans and whispers.

"Don't worry I'll pay." He smiled at me and I just nodded. He already has a lot of points so why not.

"Then we will take the Basic Plan."

I told the fortune-teller. It felt as though I was placing an order at a restaurant. I presented my student ID card, and the card reader beeped, indicating that it had deducted points.

"Very well, let's start wit–"

"Can you please our fortune together?" Axel butt in, I looked at him. I smiled slightly. The witc–er the fortune teller looks at me, I nod.

"Well then."

"Oh... It seems that the two of you had quite a harsh childhood."

A rather broad statement. Most people would claim to have gone through one or two harsh experiences during their youth, especially boys. More importantly, it's a bigger mystery why the fortune-teller who is supposed to speak of the future is speaking of the past instead.

Humans are easy creatures, once 'good fortune' has been predicted for them, they would lock that in their memories and even if good fortune, unrelated to the fortune-telling, occurs, they would bring that memory out and interpret that as "Ahh. So the fortune-telling of that time was talking about this".

But in reality it would be different, because in life, it is inevitable that everyone would experience both good fortune and misfortune as well as happiness and misery.

"T-This is..."

The fortune-teller stopped moving her hands.

"You two are the possessor of a fateful Tenchuusatsu!"

"Ehh... Tenchu–what?" Axel asked.

"What's Tenchu–" (Me)

Axel and I are confused with the word Tenchuusatsu. It seemed to be an important part of fortune-telling.

"What does this mean?" I asked.

"To put it simply, the two of you will live a life of constant misfortune since the both of you were born."

It might have been pure coincidence, but that claim was accurate. Still vague, though. Besides, from a cynical viewpoint, more than a few people would call themselves constantly unlucky. But if it's the unusual Tenchuusatsu, it would be a risk for the fortune-teller to say that as well.

"So, is that fateful Tenchuusatsu going to continue from here on out too?" Axel asked.

"Fateful Tenchuusatsu is indeed uncommon. But that doesn't mean it curses your entire life to misfortune. Indeed the flow itself is bad, you both will be unable to receive the blessing of a family or parents. But that's only up to your personality. However, the rest is up to you two, individually. You two alone decide what you can do and can't do."

She had a grim expression on her face, but I could see compassion in her eyes.

"There's no need to feel pessimistic and there's no need to act like the protagonist of a comedy too."

I'd heard some interesting things today, but in the end, it was just fortune-telling. Axel and I bowed to her as she finished my fortune-telling. When we tried to get up from my seat, we were again called by the fortune-teller.

"I have one more piece of advice for the two of you. Go back straight instead of taking any detours. If you both take a detour unnecessarily, you two may be stuck for a long time. Even if the both of you get stuck, don't panic. If you two stay calm and work together, you two should be able to overcome it."

"Alright, thanks for the advice." I finally said and grabbed the hands of Axel.

She left behind such words of prophecy.

'Interesting.'

When we are already outside and eating some food on the bench. Axel looked at me and started talking.

"That's quite accurate..what do you think..Kiyo?" I looked him directly in the eyes. I bet he has a flashback in his mind. I put my arms on his shoulder and let his body lean on my chest.

"Say Kiyo.." he said while he was on my chest, he gripped my shirt.

"You will not leave me, right." I put my hands on his chin and gently lifted up to see his reaction. He is really overthinking.

I put my forehead on his forehead and smiled slightly.

"Of course. Over my dead body."

"T-Then, I will not leave you too."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hi! I want to apologise for not updating! I was having a writer block omg. But here's the update that is just a special chapter. Someone asked me or said to me that I should also include the Fortune Teller event so here it is!

I promise I will update more now!