Chapter 80 - Witnessing The Forming of Ayanokouji Group

With the advice from a few readers, I'll try to write in a different format. Feel free to give your thought.

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The five of them stood outside the convenience store enjoying some ice cream that they had bought.

"Eating ice cream while it's a bit chilly is delicious."

Hasebe says, while carrying a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a thin wooden spoon up to her mouth. Yukimura, on the other hand, doesn't appear to eat ice cream very often, as he was still reading the ingredients.

"Hmm... I think it's better to eat it when in the summer."

"I do think so." Ryou said and Miyake agrees with him.

"This is just a list of preservatives and food colorings."

"Wow, how are you able to eat anything if you're concerned about that sort of thing?"

"I'd like to pay attention to the food I eat. I started thinking about it after what happened to my physical condition during the uninhabited island exam. Now I get my food from the organic section of the supermarket at Keyaki Mall."

"You're a really serious guy."

Apparently, Yukimura recently became a health-conscious individual.

"In the first place, items at the convenience store cost a lot. If you're willing to make a small trip over to the mall, you can get the same thing at a much better price. Why not buy your groceries a bit more efficiently?"

He pointed it out by looking at Hasebe who had also bought a lot of groceries along with the ice cream.

"Yukimū, are you by any chance one of those weird penny-pinchers?"

"I've always cared about it. And what do you mean by Yukimū?"

"You're Yukimura-kun, so Yukimū. When I want to make friends, I start with nicknames. Miyatchi, Yukimū, and Ayanon. Hmm, although Ayanon doesn't flow that well. Hm... and for Hiroki-kun, it's Hirochi then. Oh, it sounds pretty good."

"Don't call me Yukimū, it's embarrassing."

"You don't like it?"

"...I didn't say that I told you it's embarrassing."

"So what?"

"But in the presence of others, Yu-Yukimū is a little..."

Yukimura stopped talking. Hasebe responds to him with a straight face.

"I came to this conclusion after I realized that our relationship might not be that bad."

"A relationship worthy of a nickname?"

"Jeez, we're all, like, the type of people who stick to themselves, right?"

"Well... That's true. I can't deny that."

"And I'm okay with Hirochi too. He is a good guy to be around with."

"Should I say that once I tried this group thing out, I was unexpectedly comfortable with the results? And Yukimū and Ayanon also have very few friends. The second semester is more than halfway over, so I decided that I really want to establish a new friend group through these study sessions. Therefore, I'm not trying to make up for a lost time, but in order to get close to you guys as quickly as possible, I want to call you guys by either a nickname or your first name. And even though Hirochi is not from class 1D, I don't know why we're pretty good with each other. What do you think?"

"Hm... maybe it's because we're facing a common enemy back then."

Ryou said and Miyake responded, "Yeah. I'm surprised myself since it isn't bad at all. I feel like I fit in. I don't get along with Sudou and his group, and Hirata feels like an entirely different existence, always surrounded by girls. And I don't know why it's not weird to see Hiroki-kun with us. A friend from another class is not a bad thing right?"

"I know, right? What about you two?"

"I was only with you guys to oversee your studying. When the finals are over, the group will have served its purpose, but... I guess these finals won't be the last time. Of course, there will be the third semester, and it also goes without saying that there will be further exams until graduation. So... I don't mind forming something for the sake of efficiency." Yukimura said to them.

"What you're saying is confusing, but thanks nonetheless."

"Hmm... Well. This is only to keep you guys from dropping out and lower the class's ratings any further."

"Then there's only Ayanon left, ah, but is it difficult because you're already in a group with Horikita-san? Plus you're sometimes also doing things with Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun."

"I can't say if it's for better or worse, but at least I know that those two are pretty different from the type of person I am, as they have many aspects that I'm just not compatible with. Should I say that I don't have to force myself when I'm around you guys? To be honest, I feel relaxed. Horikita and I just sit next to each other. We interact a lot, but I'm not particularly in a group with her."

Ayanokouji blurted out his feelings.

"Is that so? In that case, it's decided. We will be the Ayanokōji Group from now on. Please treat us well."

"Wait. Why is it named after me?"

"You're the one who brought all of us together. Are you not okay with it?"

"It looks like I'm watching the birth of something amazing?"

"Hahaha.. you're right Hirochi! Although I don't know if our group will be something amazing."

Ryou joke about Hasebe's announcement, Miyake also agreed with Hasebe's opinion.

"I have no objections. I would be troubled if we chose to call ourselves the Yukimura group."

"One last thing before we inaugurate the group. Let's ban the use of formal surnames from now on."

"It's up to you to ban them, but I won't say Mi-Miyatchi or... A-Ayanon or anything like that. It's embarrassing. I'd look like an idiot." Yukimura said with a troubled face.

"Well, at least use the first name. By the way, my name is Haruka. You can call me whatever you want. What your first name, Miyatchi?"

"Akito."

"Akito huh. Well, that's manageable. Ayanokōji's is Kiyotaka, right?"

"And Hirochi's name is Ryou if I'm not wrong."

"You really have a good memory Haruka."

"Woow, you said my name without embarrassed even it's your first time?"

"Hm...? What's your first time Haruka?" since they already calling each other by their first name, Ryou decides this time he can tease them freely.

*No, you shouldn't*

"Wha...."

"Hahahaha... Yeah, I used to call my friend by their first name. So, even though this is my FIRST time with you, I'm okay with that Haruka."

"N..no, you're not allowed to say it that way!" Haruka's face blushed from Ryou teasing.

"I just know Ryou likes to teasing people." Yukimura said.

"Well, many people said something like that when they just know about me."

"Hmm.. I believe Yukimura's first name is Teruhiko." Miyake said that.

"You remembered?"

Instead of being impressed, Yukimura looked troubled.

"Oh, so Yukimū's first name is Teruhiko. Should I think of another nickname?"

"Stop it."

He responded with a strong tone, and Haruka shrunk back a little bit.

"Is something wrong?" Ayanokouji asked him

"I'm fine with calling you guys by your given names, but could you stop calling me Teruhiko?"

He actually made such a proposal.

"That is, it's alright for you to use our first names, but it's not alright for us to do it to you!?"

"It's not that I don't like any of you guys. It's just that I hate my given name. I usually don't mind because nobody had ever used my given name before, but this situation makes things different."

"It's not a particularly unique baby name nowadays, isn't it pretty common?"

Miyake understandably finds it strange.

The name Teruhiko is definitely one of the more standard, usual names.

"Is there any special reason?"

"...Ah. Teruhiko was the name chosen for me by my mother, a cowardly woman who abandoned me and my father when I was little. This is why I can't possibly accept it."

Hasebe and Miyake's faces tightened after they learned that there was a heavier reason for it than they had expected.

Yukimura noticed this and immediately decided to end the conversation.

"Sorry, I said something unnecessary."

"Nope, that was my bad. I went ahead and used your first name without your permission."

"It's not something you need to apologize for. It's only to be expected since you didn't understand the situation. Plus it's not typical for someone to dislike their given name. If possible, I don't want to ruin the atmosphere of the group. If none of you mind, I'd like it if you'd call me Keisei moving forward. It's the name I've been using since I was a child."

"Keisei? Does that mean Yukimū has two given names? This is pretty complicated."

"Keisei isn't my naturally given name. It's the name my father wanted me to have. Since the day my mother left home, I've made it my own. If you find it unacceptable, I hope you'll call me Yukimura just like you've been doing."

If this is what Yukimura wanted, they wouldn't be able to pursue it any further.

Besides, it isn't surprising for someone to use more than one name.

It isn't only celebrities who do it, but even people of the general public.

"It wasn't my intention to use such an insensitive name, but that's not what matters, is it?"

"Yeah true. In which case, my best regards, Keisei."

As Hasebe said, they all chose to call him by the name that he wanted us to use.

"Sorry for my selfishness... Kiyotaka, Akito, Ryou, and Haruka."

Yukimura addressed everyone by their given name again.

"It's fine, it's fine. More or less, people have their own circumstances."

"It's like I just heard something I musn't."

"Don't worry Ryou, it's not like you're the one who forced me to say it."

"Akito, Keisei, Ryou and…Haruka. Right. I've also remembered them."

"Anyways, Kiyotaka-"

Haruka seems to have gotten caught up with something again.

"Not Ayanon, but how about Kiyopon? Yeah, this one flows much better, so I think it's an easy decision. Yukimū, do you want to call him that too?"

"Hahahahaha..."

Suddenly they heard someone laughing so hard. They could see Ryou laughing and holding his stomach.

"Ahahahaha... sorry, sorry! It's alright, you can continue what you want to say Kiyopon~ Hahahahaha...."

"I won't call him that, it's too embarrassing. I've already decided to call him Kiyotaka." Yukimura facepalmed.

"No, sometimes we need to call him Kiyopon~ Hahahaha...."

Ryou can't stop laughing because of Kiyotaka's new nickname. Kiyopon, I mean Kiyotaka feels like he is going to go through many hardships after this.

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A/N: Glory to the Kiyopon around the world!

"Gimme a Hi-Five!"