Beta Instincts

At first glance, it made no sense for us to switch venues, as everyone who would be at the gathering was already here. Perhaps eating and drinking inside the auditorium was forbidden.

The reason became clear to me once I saw a few people already in the multipurpose room, waiting for our arrival. They looked around my age, and their eyes were rich with self-assurance. A quick introduction revealed them to be my seniors, which made the purpose of the event clear.

We would match with a senior, and they would show us the best spot to have sex at, in a hands-on type of way. That theory was dismantled once I remembered that we could only hook up in the… copulation something something sex room. When I thought about it more, the small number of seniors here wasn’t enough for all of us.

The same couldn’t be said for the snacks, a table full of which had been prepared for us. The guacamole-dipped chips cracked under a soft bite, and their crunch felt like it silenced all the chattering around me. My ‘beta instincts’, as Professor Silva called them, wanted me desperately to mingle with my new classmates. But that would be a mistake.

Never approach others, because that would make you seem desperate; let the sheep approach you instead. I had this mantra echoing in my head, a constant reminder to override any desire for my refined muscles to reach out and for my luscious lips to utter horrible sentences like “nice to meet you” and “how’s the weather today?” I shivered even at the thought, subtly so no one would notice, of course. I wouldn’t want others to think that I was a spineless wimp.

I tried a shrimp finger sandwich next. The mayonnaise melted on my tongue, and juices squirted from the meat before the flesh yielded to my teeth. How could I describe it besides the word ‘exquisite’, and maybe this word was even invented solely for this.

“Um…”

I ignored the squeaky voice behind me, stuffing two chunks of sandwich into my jaws. Chatting up hot girls was something I could do any day, but free lunch was a rarity. I needed to save money wherever I could, since my budget had suffered from buying Professor Silva’s whole twenty-book series. This purchase was worth it, and I had even gotten two copies of each book, preparing for the scenario where they went out of print, and I spilled tea on my only copy.

“Excuse me…”

The noise was relentless, but I refused to bend, forcing another piece of the bite-sized snack between my lips. The annoyance rising within soured the taste of the food slightly, but I only ate the snacks here to get me full. Enjoyment was only a bonus.

“Hello there. Sorry to bother you.” The source of my displeasure poked her head between me and the food that would serve as my next two meals.

An upward curve creased my face. It was genuine too. In no alternate timeline would I show a hint of displeasure to my new classmates, but the authenticity was a surprise. Maybe a full stomach would really lead to a better mood, but this wasn’t the main reason. The explanation was even simpler.

She had a gorgeous face. Skin smooth enough to glimmer under the room’s light, while golden curls sprang from her head, messy and intimate as if she had just woken up. Stealing the show were wide brown eyes that reminded me of innocence and anime. And to top it off, a pout that could lower anyone’s guard and cause them to apologize out of the blue.

I almost regretted not answering her sooner and wished I hadn’t forgotten that only people with good looks could get into this program. Emphasis on the ‘almost’, because I didn’t disregard her in order to be petty. No, it was all according to Professor Silva’s instructions. Now reached the part where I would deal the final blow to the girl’s defenses and capture her heart once and for all.

“Oh, sorry. I was too focused on feeling the bread and mayo rolling on my tongue.” I nodded at her and furrowed my brows to add to my false remorse.

“My name is Hanawa Naoko. Second year. It’s nice to meet you.” The girl took two steps back, so she had space to curtsy, an indication that she probably had watched too much medieval isekai slop.

That was when I’d notice a sticker with her kanji name stuck firmly on her curvy chest. The discovery developed into a blunder, as I had spent a few seconds wondering why I didn’t have a sticker, which meant my gaze lingered.

Déjà vu.

Oh right. I did something similar to the green-haired girl. She didn’t complain about me staring at her boobs, but that didn’t mean Hanawa-senpai would act the same way.

“Kuronuma Shuntaro. First year. Nice to meet you too, Hanawa-senpai.” Using self-introduction as a distraction, my eyes drifted to her face in a motion that should seem casual.

Hanawa-senpai smiled back. She leaned towards my ear and whispered, “They’re E-cup, by the way. It took some effort, but I’m proud of them.”

Even though a tingle built between my legs, I kept a straight face. According to Professor Silva, women would tease men to get the upper hand. As long as I managed to hold back embarrassment, she wouldn’t win.

But my cheeks were heating up. Holding back an emotion was easier said than done. There was a solution: I reached for the sandwiches, seizing the last one on the plate into my grasp, and slammed it into my face hole. Hardly the most elegant path, but at least it got my mind off what Hanawa-senpai had said.

Spectating my clumsy save, she still chuckled, as if watching a puppy struggle to reach the dog food on the top shelf. That shouldn’t count as blushing, since I snuffed the redness out of my face in time. Three-second rule… or something.

“Yes, your hair. It must take a lot of effort to style it.” I didn’t know why I said this. Maybe to distract her. Maybe to convince myself. Maybe to show any onlookers that her remarks didn’t bother me at all.

“Hair… Let’s go with that.”

My eyes twitched at her tone, which was soft with condescension. Despite her provocation, I held a faint grin on my face, because the last thing I wanted was for her to think she was getting under my skin. “Hide. Your. Weaknesses.” That was the number one rule Professor Silva had graced me with. It might seem wrong and impossible, but these trials and tribulations were the harsh truth, a necessary hurdle to get over.

I was ready to move on to the next step of Professor Silva’s guide. After my strategy of feigning disinterest and playing it cool, she should be intrigued and captivated. It was time to ask about her hobbies and favorite movies, then pretend to be interested in them.

“Hey, do you want me to show you around the campus?” She asked before I could go on the offensive.

“So, what do you do in your spare time?” Not expecting her to be so direct, I responded with the prepared question, instead of anything coherent.

Panic flared in me like a blaze spreading through a forest. What was that? Did I fumble? No, no. I’m good-looking enough that she will take it as a joke. Yeah, it’s a joke.

Deep down. I knew. I knew the green-haired girl had left me that day. I had failed because I acted too desperately. I had failed because I didn’t follow Professor Silva’s words more closely. This time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. This time, I had to get laid.

It all started with maintaining a calm expression.

“Is that a no?”

The last straw. Her simple, almost rhetorical question broke a dam inside me, and the unfiltered sentences slipped out. “Yes. I’d love to leave with you. I was just asking so we have something to talk about while we scram.” I felt my face heating up again, but there weren’t any more finger sandwiches to divert my attention.

“Someone seems excited.” She started away and gestured for me to follow.

Maybe I should have taken the initiative here, but that might seem too desperate. I had to salvage my stoic image after that awkward moment, although the bright side was that at least my strong setup had kept her hooked. Think, Shuntaro. Think about what Professor Silva had said about these situations. More effort, more discipline, more control over my words and actions. At a disadvantage, I had to pull myself back up.

As Hanawa-senpai led me out of the room, we passed someone going in. It was the green-haired girl whom I had met before the interview, wearing a plain black shirt today. She saw me, though there wasn’t recognition in her eyes. I spent a few seconds looking at the girl to make Hanawa-senpai jealous, but not too long, so senpai wouldn’t think I’d lost interest in her.

Proud of my performance, I turned to observe senpai’s reaction, only to find her also staring at the girl.

“Hello, Mamie-chan.” She beamed, but the geniality was so obviously superficial.

The girl flashed a sarcastic smile back. “Hanawa-san, since when were we on a first-name basis?”

“Awww, Mamie-chan. You are so mean. Do you think so too, kohai?” Hanawa-senpai lightly elbowed me.

“Hm. Hm.” My priority was to get some alone time with senpai, which meant saying something that could get us out of this situation as soon as possible. The difficulty was, I didn’t want to say anything that could upset senpai. What should I say?

“She must be hangry. Let’s not stop her from getting snacks.” Before this Mamie girl could defend my slander against her stomach, I snatched Hanawa-senpai’s wrist and pulled her through the corridor, away from the conflict.

“Slow down. I’m your tour guide, remember?” From her amused face, she probably didn’t mean what she said, but I still let go of her hand. After all, we had already turned the corner and gotten out of everyone’s sight.

“I’ve memorized the floor plan of the entire campus already.”

Her eyes seemed to glint, or maybe it was just a reflection from the overhead lights, but her playful smile was unmistakable. “Then, my dear guide. There’s somewhere I want to go.”

“Where do you want to go?”

“The DCR.”

“The what?”

“DCR. Designated Copulation Room. Or, as sane people would call it, the sex rooms.”