COTE : Is Talent Everything? (Rewrite)-Chapter 110 - 106: Outside or Indoors

After parting ways with Nagumo, I headed to a less crowded main street. The area was surrounded by trees as far as the eye could see, with only a vending machine and a bench in sight.

Sitting on that bench were Hasebe and Miyake from Horikita's class. When they noticed me, their eyes turned toward me with a hint of wariness.

"You're late."

"Sorry. Got held up talking to someone."

Hasebe scolded me for being late, but given who I was talking to, it wasn't like I could just cut the conversation short with the student council president.

"By the way, I heard you've been attending class properly lately. Did your grudge against the class disappear?"

"Don't joke about that. If that were the case, I wouldn't be meeting you here like this."

When I prodded her, she shot me a sharp glare. Beside her, Miyake couldn't hide his grim expression at her words.

"So, why'd you call me here?"

This meeting had been arranged by Hasebe.

"Do you really intend to help me? Honestly, it feels like you're just humoring me with empty words."

Since I promised to assist Hasebe with her revenge, I hadn't taken any noticeable actions or given any instructions. Even during the sports festival, I didn't do anything in particular.

"It just wasn't the right time. There wasn't much we could do during the sports festival."

"You can say that all you want, but it's just talk."

"Then, did you come up with anything? Did you make any moves during the sports festival?"

"W-Well..."

Though Hasebe hadn't achieved any notable results during the festival, I'd heard she at least contributed as much as any other student.

"Don't worry. I have a plan for the next cultural festival."

"! Tell me!"

"I don't mind, but..."

I averted my gaze from Hasebe, who was leaning forward with interest, and instead locked eyes with Miyake, who had been silently observing the whole time.

"You're unnecessary here, Miyake."

"...What do you mean?"

"I don't sense any desire for revenge from you. Having half-hearted people around will only hinder the plan. I don't see the point in you being here."

"Wha—...!"

Miyake glared at me and stood up, stepping forward aggressively, but Hasebe quickly intervened, spreading her arms to shield him.

"Wait. Miyacchi said he'd help me with my revenge. So it's fine."

She glanced at Miyake, who nodded silently.

"If you're okay with that, then I won't say anything more."

"Then... tell me. This plan of yours."

I handed over the strategy they were so eager for.

Whether or not they executed it was up to them, not me.

"I'm not forcing this on you. Discuss it between yourselves and decide."

With those words, I left.

........

Before heading home, I decided to stop by Keyaki Mall.

"...Should I buy an extra set? Or maybe she'll bring her own..."

The store I was looking at specialized in tableware. But after reconsidering, I thought maybe it wasn't necessary. Still, replacing plates and cups I'd been using for over a year might not be a bad idea, so I took another look.

"Not much that suits my taste."

"Talking to yourself?"

A voice responded to my muttered words. When I turned, I found Nazuna standing beside me, as if she'd been there the whole time. She gave me a small wave when our eyes met.

"Nazuna, you shopping too?"

"Yeah. Actually, I broke a cup. You too, Hachi-kun ?"

"Yeah. Thought about getting some new dishes. But nothing really caught my eye."

"Wow, what a coincidence. Same here."

Turns out I wasn't the only one who couldn't find anything worthwhile in this store. Nazuna giggled at the unexpected coincidence.

As we chatted, I noticed Nazuna's gaze flicker away for a moment.

"Hey, Hachi-kun, if you're free later—"

"Nazuna-san, if you're free, wanna go shopping together? There are a couple more stores I wanna check out."

Her slight fidgeting, the direction of her gaze, and the faint blush on her cheeks—with all these clues, it was easy to guess what she wanted to say.

Nanase blinked a few times, then broke into a smile and intertwined her fingers with mine.

"Sure! Let's go!"

Since we had no reason to stay in this store, I led her outside by the hand.

"There's another place I wanna check out first. After that, I was thinking of hitting the supermarket."

"Another coincidence! I was gonna go to the supermarket too!"

"Then it's settled. Mind if we stop by the other store first?"

"Of course!" she replied cheerfully, so we headed toward the next shop.

"Sorry for dragging you along."

"Not at all! If anything, I'm thrilled... I get to go on another date with Hachi-kun."

She bent slightly to look up at me from below, her lips curling into a charming smile.

Was this unconscious or intentional? Either way, I wasn't sure how to react.

"Then, as a small thanks, let me carry your bags."

"Ohh, such a gentleman. I'll be counting on you~"

"Please don't poke me."

"No way~"

In high spirits, she playfully jabbed my cheek. I didn't mind, but if she did this in public, I'd definitely get self-conscious.

"Oh, right. Which store did you wanna check out, Hachi-kun?"

"It's a bit embarrassing to say... but a beauty store."

"Eh?!"

Nazuna let out the exact reaction I expected. Not that I could blame her—a guy going to a beauty shop wasn't exactly common.

"A friend recommended a hand cream from there, so I thought I'd check it out."

"Oh, that makes sense. You scared me for a second!"

"...Did you think I was gonna buy makeup or something?"

"Ugh, sorry."

She averted her eyes with an awkward expression. I hadn't expected her to assume I'd be buying makeup... Is that the kind of impression I give off?

After a short walk, we arrived at the store. As expected, most of the customers inside were women. I won't deny that I invited Nanase partly because I'd feel awkward going in alone.

"Whoa, this place is amazing. They have so many types of hand cream!"

While not as extensive as the sections for toners or lipsticks, the variety here far surpassed other stores. Just as rumored.

"I had no idea this place existed. Since we're here, maybe I'll check out some makeup too."

"I'll wait here, so let's split up for now."

"Sounds good. They even have testers. Hachi-kun, tell me which one suits me later, okay?"

With a wink, Nazuna happily headed toward the cosmetics section. Apparently, picking out makeup is fun for women. Something I'll never understand as a guy.

Now then, unsurprisingly, there were plenty of hand creams to test. I had no idea which one was good, so I figured I'd just try them one by one.

"...No clue."

There were too many factors to consider—texture, scent, etc.—and I couldn't decide. Maybe I'd ask Nazuna for her opinion later?

As I agonized over the choices, I spotted another student intently examining hand creams. Surprisingly, it was someone I knew.

"You looking for hand cream too, Nanase?"

"Eek!? Y-You startled me, Hikigaya-senpai..."

She'd been so focused that she didn't notice me approaching, making her jump when I spoke.

"Sorry. You looked pretty serious."

"Ah, no, it's not that I'm struggling or anything. A classmate recommended this store, but I can't really tell the difference between them..."

Seemed Nanase was in the same boat as me.

"I totally get it. I can't tell either."

"Right?!"

She smiled happily at my agreement. It's nice to find someone who shares your struggles.

"If you're also looking for hand cream, want to search together? Two heads are better than one."

"Sounds good. I'm in."

We split up to cover more ground. Since neither of us could tell the difference, testing as many as possible was our only option.

While browsing, Nanase, who had been searching further back, came running over.

"Senpai, senpai! Look at this one—it feels different from the others!"

Since we couldn't exactly carry around testers, Nanase had applied a generous amount of hand cream to both her hands. She must've grabbed some for me too.

"Ah, sorry. Normally, people wouldn't want cream that's already been on someone else's hands, right?"

"Not at all. I'll take a little."

"Okay! Here."

She held out her hands, which were coated in cream. Since she'd applied a lot, I started by enveloping her hands with mine, then slowly traced my fingers along her slender wrists.

"Nn..."

Was it ticklish? A small sound escaped Nanase's lips. But I'd only touched her wrists so far. Next, I stroked the back of her hand, then interlaced my fingers with hers. A slippery, indescribable sensation spread through my fingertips. Nanase's hands were beautiful—slender fingers with a clean, delicate feel.

Now for the spaces between her fingers...

"Hyah!?"

"? ...You okay?"

"N-No... keep going."

She averted her face as she spoke, so I continued, puzzled.

"Ah...!"

Finally, I ran my fingers along her palms, effectively gathering most of the cream. That should be enough. For some reason, Nanase was trembling slightly.

"Whoa, this one is nice. The scent isn't bad either."

For the first time, I could actually tell the difference. This would be my pick for today.

When I looked up to thank her, Nanase was staring intently at her hands—the same ones I'd just been touching. And her cheeks were bright red.

"You alright, Nanase?"

"...Senpai, you pervert...!"

"Huh?"

The moment she spoke, she hit me with a label I didn't deserve.

"Hey, I didn't do anything weird."

"I don't care! Perverted things are perverted! That was lewd!"

"What are you even—"

"Oho? Sounds like an interesting conversation."

The worst possible timing—Nazuna was standing right behind me. Why do girls' smiles always look so terrifying in moments like this? Her eyes weren't smiling at all.

"Hachi-kun, were you teasing this girl? And such a cute underclassman, too... First-year, right?"

"Uh, yes. I'm Nanase Tsubasa."

Nazuna gave Nanase a once-over, seemingly surprised she was an underclassman.

"Wait, seriously? A first-year with that much...?"

"I think my height is pretty average..."

"No, not that! You're almost as big as me... Actually, I might be a little behind."

Nazuna was clearly shocked by Nanase's... assets. Meanwhile, Nanase tilted her head in confusion.

Not that I couldn't see where she was coming from. Nazuna was already well above average, but for a first-year, Nanase was unusually gifted.

"Anyway! Hachi-kun? What were you really doing?"

Ah, so we're circling back to that.

"It's a misunderstanding. Nanase was just joking. ...Right?"

"Y-Yes."

For a second, I worried I'd actually done something wrong, but Nanase nodded while looking away, so I relaxed.

"Seems suspicious~"

"Overthinking it won't help. More importantly, did you find anything, Nazuna-san?"

If this continued, I'd just get accused again, so I changed the subject.

"Ah, right, this one—wah!?"

At that moment, Nazuna tripped over a small step and lost her balance.

"Look out!"

Nanase moved to catch her from behind me, but something unexpected happened.

"Whoa!?"

Somehow, Nanase tripped over the same step and tumbled into me from behind. If this continued, Nazuna would crash into the products, so I reached out to pull her close while bracing for Nazuna's impact.

But I was a step too late. Nanase collided with my back, sending us all into a tangled mess. I managed to support both their weights with my core, but... I quickly realized the position we were in was very bad.

"..."

"Eek!!?"

"S-Senpai... nn..."

A soft moan reached my ears as I shifted slightly. A sweet fragrance tickled my nose, and an incredibly soft sensation pressed against the back of my head.

Apparently, I was now sandwiched between Nanase's and Nazuna's breasts. My face was buried in Nazuna 's cleavage, while Nanase's chest cushioned the back of my head.

...No wonder it didn't hurt. With this much softness, there was no way to get injured.

"...Hachi-kun, enjoying yourself a little too much?"

"Senpai, um... anytime now..."

I'd frozen for about eight seconds. Quickly, I pulled myself up and bowed deeply. I could easily imagine the expressions on their faces right now.

"Sorry. The situation was... overwhelming."

Not much of an excuse, but... to be honest, I'd only been thinking for about four of those seconds. The rest of the time? Well... I am a guy.

When I looked up, both their faces were as red as I'd expected.

"I'm not mad. It's just you, Hachi-kun. If anything, thanks for catching me."

"I-I'm not either. I know senpai wouldn't do anything perverted. And you even tried to catch me too..."

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Thank goodness. If this turned into some disciplinary hearing leading to expulsion, it'd be a nightmare. I was lucky they were both understanding.

"You did freeze up for a while, but I know you weren't thinking anything weird."

"Senpai never gets flustered, so I believe that too."

"Yeah, that was just... uh..."

"「Eh?」"

Am I an idiot? Saying that out loud is basically a confession.

When I turned forward, Nazuna was grinning, while Nanase had her face buried in her hands, bright red.

"「...Pervert.」"

They glared at me in unison, leaving me no room to explain myself.

........

Later, I treated them both to dinner as an apology before heading home.

Nazuna-san and Nanase hadn't expected it and initially refused, but I needed to ease my guilt, so I insisted. In the end, they both seemed satisfied, so I was too.

When I opened the door to my room, the sound must've carried to the living room, because someone came to greet me.

"I'm home."

"Welcome back. You're late."

"Sorry. You went through the trouble of making dinner, but I already ate out."

"No, it's fine. I hadn't cooked the rice yet, and I can always freeze it for tomorrow."

"Glad to hear it. Your cooking's delicious, so I'd hate to miss it."

"Fufu, you're such a smooth talker. Don't worry—I'll cook for you for the rest of your life."

Was that a joke? ...No, she probably meant it.

"I'd honestly love that, Arisu."

"Oh? So you don't need a proposal?"

"Didn't say that. Besides, proposals are usually the guy's job."

"That's true. Well then, I'll be waiting for a passionate proposal."

"I'll do my best."

"You dodged the question."

I escaped her sharp gaze by retreating to the living room.

Why was Arisu in my room? Well, three days after the sports festival, we were now in a state close to living together.

It had originally been her suggestion. I'd objected, but she'd overruled me.

"Have you explained to Shiina-san and Amasawa-san? That we're living together?"

"Not yet. Besides, it's only temporary, right?"

Three days had passed since the sports festival ended. Until today, Arisu had been staying in my room, but she hadn't fully moved in—she'd only brought the essentials from her own room.

Still, by any reasonable standard, this counted as cohabitation.

"What am I even supposed to tell Hiyori and Amasawa...?"

Obviously, something like "I'm living with Arisu now, so don't come over" was out of the question. Saying that would put my life in danger.

Until now, I'd been timing my visits to their rooms to avoid running into them. But if I kept dodging them for three days straight, I'd definitely get interrogated.

"Fufufu, I can't wait to see the looks on their faces."

"You're terrible... Oh, right. Here, a souvenir."

"? ...What is it?"

"You'll see."

Arisu took the paper bag with a puzzled look and peeked inside. Her eyes widened, and she glanced at me in surprise.

"! The hand cream from that store..."

"You wanted it, right? Consider it thanks for making breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

A couple of days ago, Arisu had mentioned this hand cream before bed, so I'd picked it up.

She seemed even happier than I'd expected. Carefully setting the bag down, she spread her arms toward me.

This was her signal for a hug.

"I'm so happy, Hachi-kun."

"Whoa—"

As I approached the bed where she sat, she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck, pulling me down. The bed creaked slightly under our weight.

"What am I going to do? These feelings of mine refuse to cool down."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Of course—for me, at least."

She pulled me closer again, pressing her lips to mine.

After three days, Arisu had gotten used to kissing—at least on this level. Though she still melted the moment I deepened it.

"...Nn... mmph..."

But even if she'd grown accustomed to it, she still felt like a beginner. The moment my tongue touched hers, she lost all composure. I loved watching her pure, untainted self unravel like this.

Just as her expression was turning truly blissful—

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang, echoing just like it had three days ago.

I pulled myself up and off the bed. Arisu glared at the entrance in annoyance, but she'd have to endure it.

But before I could reach the door, I heard it open.

"Hachi-kun...?"

"What're ya doin', senpai~? ♡"

...I really should've explained things sooner.

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