Does Ayanokoji Like Kei In Classroom Of The Elite?

Ayanokoji seems to hold a rather special place for Kei within the bounds of their somewhat transactional relationship. They first helped her to increase her social standing, and ever since that time she has become one of his many “tools” – however, as with anything that Kei gets her hands on, she has grown in some way, and become more than just a thing. The point at which Ayanokoji realizes that Kei is “useful” is particularly telling, as to him this is a great compliment. The anime fails to really capture many of the deeper interactions between the two characters, but in the novels it is clear that Kei is one of the few people that Ayanokoji actually notices.

Kei’s continued pushing against Ayanokoji’s views for better or for worse ends up to mold him in ways that the other underlings and even Miang-jeong have failed to. Yes, it is very manipulative on her part but Kei does more than just sit there and let Ayanokoji mold her into whatever he wants and I think that’s what Ayanokoji likes about her the most. It’s really not that different from the dynamic that Light had with Misa, in which one party was extremely unequal to the other and where a lot of manipulation went on.

Ayanokoji and Kei. Their relationship is one of the interesting aspects of the Classroom of the Elite series and has fans speculating for a long time now. At first glance Ayanokoji seems to be completely indifferent towards anyone around him and continues to calculate and analyze people like they were pawns in a game of chess. Yet, there are moments where he protects Kei from bullying, where he watches over her progress and observes her in her daily routine. For Kei on the other hand it is clear that he has fallen for Ayanokoji, yet Ayanokoji does not return his feelings in the same way. While their interactions are like a game of chess for Ayanokoji, there is also a sense of protectiveness in his actions.

One of the most interesting things to consider in the context of the series is how the manipulation and genuine human connection play out in Ayanokoji’s relationship with Kei. This is because the two are so vastly different from one another—Ayanokoji is always detached while Kei is always vulnerable in some way. The two of them have some really great interactions in the series. My favorite scene between the two of them is their rooftop confession scene. The way he speaks to her in that scene is so cold and yet so tender all at once. I’ve rewatched the scene many times and it never fails to give me chills. The ambiguity of his words is part of what makes the series so beautiful, because the question of whether he actually cares for her or not is left wide open. And personally, I believe that he does value her in some way, but it would be hard to say that he “likes” her.

Ayanokoji is a really confusing guy, and this is honestly the best way to look at his relationship with Kei: it’s complicated. While Ayanokoji is master of disguise and can easily hide his emotions, it’s very hard to figure out what he’s feeling. On the other hand, Kei wears her heart on her sleeve, and has grown so much from being a bullied kid to someone who stands up for herself. But, does Ayanokoji like Kei? Well, if by “like” you mean to fall in love with her, then no, he does not. He’s just too detached. But he does show a sort of care to her that he doesn’t show to others. Sometimes he even remembers small things about her, and tests her in order to see how she reacts in certain situations. It’s almost like he cares in a really twisted way, but it’s more of a fascination. He can’t fully understand or control her, which makes her very interesting to him.