Rows ahead, sitting completely alone, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka stares blankly at the dusty chalkboard.
That guy just finished his introduction. Fascinating. His voice sounded cheerful, but his sentence structure was highly irregular. He chopped his thoughts into short, fragmented lines and paused unnaturally at the start of every new phrase.
Ayanokouji rests his chin on his palm. His eyes slowly track back over the rhythm of the speech.
Why would someone use an acrostic cipher in a verbal high school introduction? It seems like he purposely structured his breathing to emphasize the first letter of each sentence.
I-M-L-O-O-K-I-N-G-F-O-R-A-G-I-R-L-F-R-I-E-N-D.
I'm looking for a girlfriend. Ayanokouji blinks slowly.
He probably wants to broadcast his desires without sounding desperate like Ike. Or maybe it is a test to see if anyone in the room possesses the mental speed to catch a verbal acrostic on the fly. Regardless, I shouldn't involve myself. I need to figure out my own introduction.
Ayanokouji sinks slightly lower in his chair, ignoring the new student completely.
Then, the room goes quiet again.
"Well then, time for the next person. Can you please introduce yourself?" Hirata asks.
Ayanokouji's turn arrived while he was daydreaming. He grabs the edges of his desk and pushes himself up. The wooden chair clatters loudly against the floor.
"Um. Well, my name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. And, uh, I don't really have any special skills or anything. I'll do my best to get along with all of you. It's, uh, nice to meet you."
Ayanokouji finishes his flat, entirely forgettable speech and instinctively lowers his head. For him, it was the worst possible introduction.
"It's nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun. I always want to be friends with everyone, just like you. Let's both do our best, okay?" Hirata responds with a refreshing, perfect smile.
A few students offer polite, pitying applause. Ayanokouji sits down quickly, keeping his eyes fixed firmly on the surface of his desk.
From his seat in the back corner, Tal watches the awkward display. He crosses his arms over his chest and leans back, stretching his legs out under his desk. The pieces are all finally on the board.
A sharp bell rings loudly through the overhead speakers. The homeroom period officially ends. Students instantly grab their bags, forming tight, noisy circles as they shuffle out the door toward the gymnasium. It is time for the entrance ceremony.
Tal stands up and stretches his arms over his head. His spine pops loudly. The humidity of the early morning is already fading, replaced by the cool, heavily conditioned air pumping steadily through the classroom vents. Slinging his canvas bag over his shoulder, he joins the moving crowd.
---
"And now, a few words from the student council president," the host said.
Of course, Tal thought. The iconic speech of Student President Horikita Manabu. It looked like a normal address, but it was a warning rather than a speech.
"Thank you for the introduction. I am Manabu Horikita."
No way! He is speaking English? Not Japanese?
"Newcomers, as a representative of the upperclassmen and your student council president, I extend a warm welcome to you all."
These are the exact words of the English dubbed version of the anime, word-for-word. Tal screams internally.
"As I am sure you are aware, our school is known for its prestige and distinction on all fronts and boasts impeccable employment and college entry rates across the board, we take pride in this."
By isolating the first letter of the last word of each sentence, you get the string: I, H, A, T, P, E, T, Y, C.
"In fact, it's our school's number one priority. We all work together to uphold the standard of excellence. Now, you are a part of that too. We expect greatness from all of you. And we know you are capable."
Rearranging those letters forms a specific message: TEACH PITY.