COTE : Is Talent Everything? (Rewrite)-Chapter 109 - 105: Proposal And Heat

Several hours had already passed since Arisu came to my room. Looking out the window, the sun was about to set. Right around now, the closing ceremony was probably being held on the school grounds.

"That's the face of someone thinking, 'The closing ceremony is probably happening right now.'"

"You could tell?"

"You were conscious of the view outside the window. Considering the time, it was simple to deduce."

"Impressive observational skills as always."

Arisu, lying on the bed using my arm as a pillow, spoke with a hint of pride, so I gave her some light applause.

"It's strange, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"The room's layout should be the same, yet your room feels more comfortable than mine."

"Now that you mention it, Hiyori said something similar before."

"...Mentioning another girl's name in front of your fiancée? Do you have no sense of delicacy?"

"Ow, stop pinching me. That kinda hurts."

Besides, even if we're engaged, it's only temporary right now.

As I tried to soothe Arisu's pouting, a phone notification rang from somewhere. Not mine—it was hers.

"It's from Masumi-san. It seems the results have been announced."

Judging by her reaction, she must've instructed Kanzaki to report to her beforehand.

"First place is Horikita's class, second is Ryūen-kun's class, third is Ichinose-san's class, and Class A is in last place."

The results went exactly as planned. I had expected either Ryūen's class or Horikita's class to take first, but thanks to the difference in athletic talent—like Sudō or Kōenji—Horikita's class ended up one step ahead. And as per the original plan, forcing Class A into last place was a big win.

"Pretty much as expected."

"Yes. A rather boring outcome."

Perhaps because the predictable result had dulled her interest, Arisu set her phone aside and rolled over to face me. Staring intently at me, she smiled faintly, her cheeks slightly flushed as she spoke.

"Hachiman, would you prefer a Western-style wedding? Or a Japanese one?"

"...That's sudden."

"Thinking about the future isn't a bad thing, is it?"

In Arisu's mind, marriage seemed like a foregone conclusion.

That said, I don't know much about weddings, so my choice was purely based on whether I'd prefer Western or Japanese attire. Western would mean a dress, Japanese would mean a kimono. For Arisu...

"Western, I guess? If I had to pick."

Even I knew my answer was simplistic, but Arisu looked slightly surprised.

"That's unexpected. I assumed you'd choose Japanese."

"Nah, I just think a dress would suit you better than a kimono."

Truthfully, I'd seen her in one before coming to this school, and it suited her perfectly. So, in my mind, Arisu is more of a dress person. Not that she wouldn't look good in a kimono, though.

"You're a sly one, aren't you?"

"Are you blushing?"

"...Being able to read my expressions like that is part of what makes you sly. Normally, extracting information from me is next to impossible, you know?"

"It's just easy for me to tell with you."

"...Really sly."

Maybe it's because I've known her longer than most students at this school, but reading Arisu's expressions is simple. Right now, she's clearly flustered.

"Now then, I have a few things to interrogate you about, Hachiman."

"Sudden again. I don't recall doing anything worth getting mad over."

"Think carefully. What would your fiancée find and get angry about? Hint: coffee."

It felt like a quiz, but Arisu's expression wasn't cheerful. Her smile didn't reach her eyes.

Coffee, huh? Earlier today, I brewed some to cleanse my palate after eating cake, but the act itself probably wasn't the issue. So then, maybe something that happened while making it...

"Ah."

"Understood now?"

"...That's what this is about?"

Following my gaze, Arisu nodded firmly.

What caught my attention was the cups lined up on the kitchen shelf. Arisu knows I don't care much about tableware, but among them were cups that clearly weren't my style.

Those cups belonged to Hiyori, who often visits my room. Arisu must've noticed them the moment she arrived.

"Whose are those?"

"...Hiyori's."

"And why are they here?"

"...I gave her a spare key for reasons, and she comes over a lot. So at some point, she started leaving her own dishes here..."

"Fufufufu~"

Arisu's smile was purely muscular. Genuinely terrifying.

"In that case, I should receive the same benefits, shouldn't I?"

"Benefits... You mean a spare key?"

"No. I'm your fiancée, aren't I?"

She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She's been throwing around the word "fiancée" a lot today. She must really like the sound of it.

"A spare key is necessary, but there's an even better way."

There was one thing I'd overlooked.

In moments like these, she always surpasses my expectations.

With a sweet smile, Arisu locked eyes with me and delivered a line that shattered my thoughts.

"Let's live together, Hachiman."

......

The day after the sports festival came to a close.

Though we fell just short of Horikita's class, securing second place was still a strong result. With steady progress, the class's morale was high.

"That's..."

On my way to the entrance, I spotted a familiar figure in the distance. The student council president, Nagumo Miyabi, was unmistakable.

But something was off. Unlike his usual smug grin, his face was completely blank—devoid of any interest in his surroundings.

"Hello, Nagumo-senpai."

"Yo, Hikigaya."

Curious, I called out to him, and a flicker of interest briefly lit up his otherwise empty eyes.

"Something wrong? You don't seem like yourself."

Nagumo hesitated for a moment, as if considering whether to speak, but ultimately muttered quietly.

"You know about it too, right? Ayanokōji."

"You mean the match during the sports festival?"

The moment I mentioned it, he let out a sigh.

Seems I hit the mark.

"Ayanokōji ran from our match. I thought he'd be the one to finally quench my thirst, but I guess I was wrong."

"'Ran' is a bit harsh. He might've actually been sick."

"Some of my classmates saw him walking around Keyaki Mall. That's proof enough."

His tone was flat, stating facts without emotion.

"Are you really giving up on school life just like that?"

"Pretty much. Without Ayanokōji, there's nothing left for me here. I'll just coast until graduation."

A student council president who dominated the school by his second year, becoming untouchable—that was Nagumo's legacy. And now, he seemed ready to let that legacy fade.

"You don't have to be so pessimistic."

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At those words, Nagumo's expression hardened. In an instant, he closed the distance between us.

"...Then what? You gonna take his place and entertain me instead?"

With a single step forward, he pinned me against the wall, arm braced beside my head.

Had my words struck a nerve? Up close, his eyes held a faint glimmer of hope.

"That's not what I meant. But is giving up on what you really want the right choice?"

"...What're you getting at?"

"You've always been the one to take action. Challenging Ayanokōji included. So why not wait a little? Maybe he'll come to you next time."

My unexpected response made his eyes waver.

"You're saying Ayanokōji will challenge me?"

"I can't guarantee it. But if you're ready to give up entirely, waiting a little longer might not be a bad idea."

"...Hah."

Nagumo pulled his arm back and smirked, almost provocatively.

"You're good at getting people's hopes up, y'know?

...Makes me want you even more."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

I didn't quite catch the last part, but since he was grinning like usual, it probably wasn't important. I decided to ignore it.

As I turned to leave with a slight bow, a hand grabbed my shoulder from behind. When I looked back, Nagumo was averting his eyes slightly.

"You... free later?"

"Huh?"

Caught off guard, I blinked in surprise. Nagumo's cheeks tinted faintly red as he continued.

"If you are... how about it? Wanna come to my room or—"

"Ah, sorry. I've got plans."

This wasn't a lie—I really did have plans.

As I walked away after refusing, I could've sworn I heard an exaggerated click of the tongue behind me, but it was probably just my imagination.

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