COTE : Is Talent Everything? (Rewrite)-Chapter 104 - 101: Juniors and Seniors

The Day After the Unanimous Exam

As the sun began to set the next day, I changed into slightly nicer clothes and left the dorm. Tonight's plans were the dinner with Nagumo that had been canceled yesterday due to the exam.

"I didn't expect him to agree so quickly..."

After telling him Friday was impossible because of the exam, I suggested the next day instead—and he accepted almost instantly. Too instantly.

Apparently, the restaurant we were going to was one of Nagumo's regular spots, and he had already made a reservation. He even insisted on covering the entire bill. Honestly, being treated this lavishly just made me uncomfortable, but I wasn't about to complain.

"I got here a bit too early, huh?"

I arrived about fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Not that being early was a bad thing.

Just then, I heard a familiar voice calling out to me from a distance.

"Ah! Hachikun!"

"Nazuna-san. What a coincidence."

She happily walked over as soon as she spotted me. Ever since she confessed her feelings, I'd been a little more conscious around her, but at least things weren't awkward yet.

"What are you doing here, Hachiman? Just standing around like this?"

"I've got dinner plans with Nagumo-senpai tonight. You know, since we couldn't go yesterday because of the exam."

"! M-Masataka...?"

Her expression twisted slightly at the mention of Nagumo. If she was reacting like that, he must've been plotting something.

"So that's why you're all dressed up."

"Well, it's dinner with the student council president. I can't show up looking like a mess—it'd be disrespectful."

I was wearing the same outfit I had on when I went out with Horikita Manabu. Now that I thought about it, this situation was almost identical to back then.

"...Hachiman, please be careful, okay?"

She placed both hands on my shoulders, her eyes filled with a warning.

"Huh? About what?"

"W-Well... I can't really explain it, but, you know... Masataka is serious—like, dead serious..."

"Serious? About what?"

"J-Just...! No matter what happens, stay normal, okay?! Otherwise, I won't be able to become your girlfriend!"

I had no idea what she was trying to say. The only thing I understood was that Nazuna-san was unusually desperate about this.

"KYAAAAAAAH!!!!"

As she continued bombarding me with cryptic warnings, a girl's scream—no, more like a squeal of excitement—rang out from the opposite direction.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Hachiman... Wait, why's Nazuna here too?"

When Nazuna-san and I turned around, we saw Nagumo standing there, his smile dripping with amusement as he effortlessly drew the attention of every girl nearby.

His usually well-styled golden hair swayed slightly, and his outfit accentuated a more mature charm than usual. It was like he had dialed his charisma up to eleven. Simply put, Nagumo looked twice as attractive as he normally did—enough to make heads turn just by walking.

"Whoa... You're way too into this."

"Shut it, Nazuna. More importantly, why the hell are you here?"

"I just ran into Hachiman! Then he said he was going to dinner with you, so I had to warn him—"

"Sorry, but—"

Nagumo abruptly pulled me closer by the shoulder, flashing a provocative grin at Nazuna.

"Tonight's my time with him. Don't get in the way, Nazuna."

"H-HUH?!?"

Caught completely off guard, Nazuna let out a shocked cry.

Since when did I become something you could reserve? Well, I was being treated to dinner, so I guess that counted?

"Anyway, that's how it is. Hachiman's mine for the night."

With that, he briskly led me away, leaving a dumbfounded Nazuna behind. After putting some distance between us, he let out a small sigh and turned back to me.

"Sorry. Did I keep you waiting?"

"No, I just got here myself."

"Cut the crap. Judging by Nazuna, I made you wait at least five minutes. My bad."

"I'm not about to complain when you're treating me."

"Cheeky underclassman."

I thought I might've annoyed him, but Nagumo just looked amused, like he was genuinely enjoying the conversation.

Since standing around was a waste of time, we headed toward the restaurant he'd reserved. But something felt off.

"...We're being watched."

Countless eyes were on us—probably because of the unusual sight of me, a regular student, walking with the student council president. Add Nagumo's unusually sharp outfit to the mix, and it was no surprise we were drawing attention.

...Please tell me I imagined that camera shutter sound.

"The stares bothering you, Hachiman?"

"A little. You don't seem fazed at all, though."

"You get used to it after being student council president for a while."

Being the center of attention was just part of the job—something I could never see myself doing.

"If you ever wanna join the student council, just say the word. I'll recommend you anytime."

"No thanks. I'll pass on the offer."

"Still as cold as ever."

He laughed again, clearly entertained, as we continued walking and making small talk.

"By the way, what kind of place are we eating at?"

"The most famous Italian restaurant on campus. I go there a lot."

Italian, huh? Not something I eat often, so I was looking forward to it.

"There's always a line if you don't have a reservation. Good places are worth booking in advance. I reserved a table for six, just in case."

"You didn't have to go that far."

"Don't worry about it. I'm the one who invited you."

I hadn't expected him to be this considerate. Then again, Nagumo probably had plenty of experience entertaining people—especially women. Guess that's the student council president for you.

......

"This is the place?"

"Impressive, right? It's always packed, but weekends are especially bad."

A long line stretched all the way outside the restaurant. Walking in with Nagumo meant every student in sight was staring, but there was no point worrying about it.

As I marveled at the crowd, two familiar voices called out from behind us.

"Aww, the line's huge... Sorry, Horikita-san. I didn't think it'd be this crowded."

"It's fine. There's nothing we can do about it."

Nagumo and I exchanged glances before turning around. Sure enough, it was the two people I'd expected. They seemed just as surprised to see us.

"Eh?! Nagumo-senpai and... Hachiman-kun?!"

"...An unexpected pairing."

"Ichinose and Suzune? You two are the odd ones here."

Ichinose and Horikita were both shocked to see me with Nagumo. Given that they were both student council members, I could understand their reaction.

"Um... Are you two having dinner together?"

Ichinose asked hesitantly, to which Nagumo responded with a confident smirk.

"Heh, yeah."

"...Wait, so the reason you've been in such a good mood lately is..."

Horikita's expression shifted like she'd just realized something, but I doubted it was anything important.

"You two were planning to eat here too, right? Like I said, weird pairing."

"Actually, we were going over some student council work we messed up earlier. I thought since we were already together, why not grab dinner?"

That explained why they were together. Even someone as reserved as Horikita probably couldn't refuse Ichinose's friendly invitation.

From the sound of it, they'd been hoping to eat here but didn't expect the wait.

"Nagumo-senpai."

"Hm? What?"

I called out to him while he was talking to Ichinose and gestured for him to listen.

"Why don't we invite them along?"

"...Huh?"

"Looks like Ichinose didn't make a reservation. You booked a table for six, right? Since we ran into them, why not?"

I kept my voice low so they wouldn't hear.

Not that this was entirely selfless.

Nagumo and I had been getting along well, but I wasn't sure how long that would last. Having the relatively friendly Ichinose and Horikita around would help keep things smooth.

But Nagumo's expression was conflicted.

"N-No, that's... kind of..."

His usual confidence was gone, replaced by stumbling hesitation.

"They were working hard for the student council. As president, shouldn't you reward them?"

"I mean, yeah, but... I was kinda looking forward to it just being the two of us."

"We can always reschedule for another day."

"...Fine. As student council president, I should reward hardworking members."

His mood did a complete 180 in an instant. Now cheerful, he turned back to the girls.

"You two were planning to eat here, right?"

"Yes, but the line's so long we were thinking of going somewhere else."

"Relax. I actually booked a big table tonight. My treat—wanna join us?"

"Eh... That's too much."

Ichinose naturally hesitated at the sudden offer.

"C'mon, I owe you two."

"Owe us? For what? We haven't done anything... Right, Horikita-san?"

"Yes. Nothing comes to mind."

"I'm thanking you for giving me another chance... Consider it a reward for your hard work. Now let's go."

He forcefully came up with a reason and strode toward the front of the line.

But Ichinose and Horikita still seemed reluctant. I figured I should say something.

"Nagumo-senpai's offering. Why not join us?"

"But... wouldn't we be intruding?"

"Not at all. Not even a little."

"You're awfully desperate to have us come along. Should I be concerned?"

"...No reason. Let's just go."

Not wanting her to catch on, I quickened my pace to catch up with Nagumo. Horikita and Ichinose followed behind.

......

Once inside, we were led to a private room Nagumo had reserved and took our seats. To an outsider, it might've looked like a double date, but the reality was far from it.

After ordering, Ichinose was the first to speak up.

"So, Hachiman-kun, you were having dinner with Nagumo-senpai? I had no idea you two were this close!"

"I was surprised too. I'm curious about your relationship."

Ichinose was one thing, but Horikita's interest felt different. Did she really care that much about me having dinner with student council presidents?

"Our relationship, huh? What is our relationship, Hachiman?"

Nagumo rested his chin on his hand, waiting for my answer. It was hard to define.

"Senpai and kouhai, I guess? That feels the most accurate."

"C'mon, you can do better than that."

"Then how would you describe it, Nagumo-senpai?"

"Hmm... For now, let's say more than Horikita-senpai, less than lovers?"

"I'm not even gonna ask why Horikita Manabu is the benchmark."

"Boring."

What even was this conversation? I was part of it, yet I had no idea what was happening. This was a first for me.

Meanwhile, Ichinose's face had turned bright red, and she was fidgeting nervously.

"H-Horikita-san, watching those two is kinda... making me all jittery..."

"I-Is it?"

"It's like reading a romance manga, but different... I-I think my heart's racing a little."

What the hell is she talking about?

We kept up the small talk until the food arrived, with Ichinose reacting strongly to every exchange between me and Nagumo. At this point, my only lifeline was Horikita.

...I shouldn't complain.

The food, at least, was incredible. I'd ordered meat pasta and minestrone—nothing I hadn't tried before, but my table manners were polished enough thanks to Horikita Manabu.

"Hey, Hachiman."

"Yeah?"

"Gimme a bite of your meat pasta."

"Sure. Here, I'll put some on a plate—"

"Nah, no need. Just feed me directly."

"Huh?!?"

Nagumo turned toward me, mouth open, waiting. But the one who reacted most wasn't me—it was Ichinose.

She didn't say anything, though, just stared intensely. Horikita was watching too, but her expression was unreadable.

"Just eat your own food."

"I just didn't wanna bother with a plate. Besides, Horikita-senpai did the same thing, so what's the problem?"

Oh, so that's his angle.

He knew full well that Horikita Manabu had misunderstood the situation back then.

"Sigh... Fine. Here."

With no way out, I resigned myself to twirling some pasta onto a fresh fork and feeding it to Nagumo. He chewed, smirked, and nodded approvingly.

"Not bad."

"PFFFFFT!!!!"

At that exact moment, Ichinose, who had been staring intently, suddenly spurted blood from her nose. She quickly covered it with a napkin, so nothing got on the food.

"I-Ichinose-san?!"

"S-Sorry! It was just... too much for me. I-I'll go to the restroom..."

"O-Okay. Sure."

Horikita, utterly baffled, watched as Ichinose hurried off, still clutching her nose.

"What the hell was that about?"

"No idea."

"How bizarre."

Well, it was Ichinose. Everyone has their moments.

"Anyway, gimme another bite. The meat pasta's pretty good."

"Just eat your own. I'll put some on a plate."

"Do it again, and I'll give you some of this escargot. You said you'd never tried it, right?"

Offering something I'd been hesitant to order because of the price? Nagumo was playing dirty.

Fine. If that's how he wants to play...

As I fed him another bite, I noticed Horikita staring—not at Nagumo, but at me. Her expression was as inscrutable as ever.

...Wait, is that it?

"Horikita."

"What?"

"If you wanted some, you could've just asked. No need to stare."

I thought I'd figured it out, but her face immediately turned bright red, and she shook her head so hard I thought it might fly off.

"N-No! I wasn't—I didn't—"

"So you don't want any?"

"...Well, since you're offering... I suppose I'll have a bite."

After a long internal struggle, she finally gave in. She nervously opened her mouth, closing her eyes as she waited for the pasta.

Meanwhile, I portioned some onto a plate and set it in front of her.

"Here, Horikita. I put some aside for you."

"......Eh?"

Her eyes flew open, darting around in confusion before landing on the plate of pasta in front of her.

She froze for a few seconds, but when she finally processed it, her ears turned red.

"~~~~~~~~h!!!!"

"Uh... Did I do something wrong?"

She glared at me furiously, her face burning. But I hadn't done anything! She said she wanted some, so I gave her some.

"It's nothing!!!!"

"Why are you mad?"

"Wow. Even I feel bad for her now."

Horikita turned away in a huff, and Nagumo sided with her. What did I even do?

.....

After dinner, we parted ways with Ichinose and Horikita. Nagumo and I stopped by a small entertainment area before heading back.

As we walked down a tree-lined path, I spotted a familiar vending machine and bench—the same spot where I'd shared coffee with Horikita Manabu.

"What? Thirsty?"

"No, just remembering how I drank coffee here with Horikita Manabu after dinner."

"Oh? Then let's do the same. My treat—come on."

I shouldn't have said anything.

Whether it was competitiveness or something else, Nagumo dragged me to the bench and bought drinks.

"You could've at least let me pay for the vending machine."

"Just accept your senpai's generosity. Here."

He tossed me a drink, which I barely caught.

"Hot cocoa?"

"Yeah. I like it better than coffee, and I'm not about to copy Horikita-senpai."

"Right."

I didn't get it. I knew Nagumo had a rivalry with Horikita Manabu, but refusing to drink the same thing?

We sat on the bench, sipping our cocoa in silence—but only for a moment.

"Now I get why Horikita-senpai took such a liking to you."

"I still don't."

"The more I learn about you, the more interesting you get. Both Horikita-senpai and I are obsessed with you."

"Obsessed?"

The exaggeration made me reflexively push back.

Since we were already here, I decided to ask something that had been on my mind.

"Nagumo-senpai, what are you planning to do next?"

"About what?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. You've been looking for someone to replace Horikita Manabu—and right now, that focus is on me and Ayanokouji."

"Heh. You knew and still brought it up?"

There were plenty of reasons, but at this stage, Ayanokouji was the primary target.

"I'd usually say it depends on my mood, but... I think it's about time I challenged Ayanokouji."

"So I'm off the hook?"

"Who knows? If I change my mind, I might come after you instead."

"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."

My wording left room for interpretation—that I could handle whatever Nagumo threw at me.

He took a sip of cocoa, grinning.

"Hey, seriously—any interest in joining the student council? I'll give you any position you want."

His expression was unexpectedly sincere.

As I considered how to respond, Nagumo suddenly grabbed my shoulder.

"I like you, Hachiman. More than I ever expected to. That's why I want you. And when I want something, I get it. So—"

Coming from someone who had always gotten everything he desired, the words carried weight.

"Become mine, Hachiman."

How can he say something like that so easily?

Actually, now that I thought about it... I had said something similar before.

"To be honest, I have zero interest in joining the student council."

"......What?"

His eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, and for a second, I thought I saw his shoulders slump in disappointment.

His rare display of vulnerability surprised me, but I pressed on.

"But after hearing you out, I've changed my mind a little. For now, let's call it a 'maybe.'"

"...Fine. That'll do for now."

Nagumo stood up, tossed his empty cocoa can into the trash, and turned his back to me.

"Good things are worth waiting for. I'll wear you down eventually."

"You really don't have to go that far."

"That's up to my mood."

With a casual wave, he started walking back toward the dorm.

Well, at least I got a free meal out of it.

=================================

Want to support me? 

You can join as member in my P4TR30N

The source of this c𝓸ntent is freewebnøvel.coɱ.

p4treon.com/ShirooYuki ( Change 4 to a)

See ya!!