COTE : Is Talent Everything? (Rewrite)-Chapter 136 - 131: Push it on the way home

At Kiriyama's words, Nagumo briefly showed a dissatisfied expression but quickly regained his composure and continued.

"First, let me apologize, Hikigaya. It's unfortunate for me too, but the reason I called you here no longer stands."

"Unfortunate in what way?"

"Remember the matter of the match with Ayanokouji?"

"Yes."

Though the timing hasn't even been decided yet, it's already settled that Nagumo and Ayanokouji will face off once the stage is set. I heard as much during the cultural festival.

"Earlier, I called Ayanokouji out. Since I'm stepping down as student council president, we have to choose between the candidates, Horikita and Ichinose, for the next president. I used that to challenge Ayanokouji."

"A match to decide the student council president. The winner is whoever gets their chosen candidate—Horikita or Ichinose—elected as president, right?"

"Spot on, Hikigaya. That's exactly why I like you."

Setting aside Nagumo's joking tone as he clapped his hands, it certainly would make for a proper match. An election would ensure fairness.

However, upon hearing the details of this match, one question came to mind.

"From the way you phrased it, Nagumo-senpai, Ayanokouji initially accepted this match, right?"

"He did, but what about it?"

"I find it hard to believe that you and Ayanokouji would agree to a match with no stakes. Was there something wagered? Expulsion... or private points, perhaps?"

"...!"

"Hah, you caught on quick, Hikigaya."

Unlike Nagumo, who chuckled, Kiriyama, who had been observing the conversation, widened his eyes.

"Ayanokouji wagered his own expulsion and demanded 20 million points from me. Pretty bold, don't you think?"

"20 million points? That's a hefty sum."

"He must have his sights set on Class A. Expulsion or 20 million... I thought things might finally get interesting if this went through, but..."

"What's done is done."

Kiriyama added this as Nagumo averted his eyes, looking displeased. They've been talking about the match this whole time, but now it's off the table.

"Did something happen?"

"...Ichinose withdrew."

"Withdrew?" Before I could continue, Kiriyama spoke up.

"Originally, today was meant to discuss the next student council president with Ichinose and Horikita. I was surprised when Nagumo told me about the Ayanokouji situation."

So that's why Horikita was called out this morning. It seems that, aside from the original purpose, Nagumo independently challenged Ayanokouji to this match.

"Then, we explained the upcoming student council election to Ichinose and Horikita. But Ichinose declined—no, she said she was leaving the student council altogether."

"I see. So with no opponent left, the match itself fell through."

"Exactly. As a result, the next student council president will be Horikita. Before that, though, we're recruiting student council members from the same grade to fill the gap Ichinose left."

Once that recruitment is settled, Horikita will officially become president. It's unclear why Ichinose left the student council, but her decision caused this match to disappear. A missed opportunity.

"I understand the situation, but I still don't see why I was called here."

"That's what I'd like to know too."

Kiriyama and I both turned to Nagumo at the same time.

Whether Nagumo fought Ayanokouji, Ichinose left the student council, or Horikita became president—none of that really concerns me. It's strange that I was called here in the first place. But the one who summoned me just smiled faintly.

"What, it's simple. I wanted you to be the witness, Hikigaya."

"Witness?"

"You're the only one who can watch me and Ayanokouji fairly. It wouldn't be fun without an audience, right?"

"So you called me here just to watch the match?"

"Exactly."

"..."

"Hey, don't look at me like that."

Kiriyama and I both glared at him, but Nagumo remained unfazed. I don't mind watching the match, but was there really no other way than summoning me here?

"Anyway, I get it. I'll take my leave now."

"What, leaving already? Stay and chat a bit."

"I already had plans today."

I canceled my plans with Hiyori, but if I contact her now, I might still make it.

"That's a shame. I was thinking of inviting you to eat."

"If that's the case, could you stop contacting me on the day itself?"

"Well, I'll invite you again soon, so look forward to it."

He ignored my request about the calls, so I sighed and left the student council room.

.......

Finally free from the student council room, I immediately tried contacting Hiyori, but it seemed she was studying with Nishino for the upcoming exam. I didn't want to interrupt her studies, so I just sent her a quick message saying, "Good luck."

"I guess the book hunt will have to wait."

"Book hunt? What about it?"

At the shoe lockers, someone responded to my muttering. When I turned around, it was Horikita. She seemed to be changing her shoes at just the right time too.

"I was asking Hiyori if she wanted to go to the bookstore now. But she already had plans."

"...I see."

For a moment, her expression darkened, but it quickly returned to normal, so I didn't dwell on it as we walked back together.

"Oh yeah, I heard. Congratulations on becoming the next student council president."

"How did you—... Oh, you were called by Nagumo-senpai too."

Horikita seemed to accept it, figuring it would be announced soon anyway.

"How much did you hear?"

"That Ichinose declined the position, and you're looking for new student council members to fill the gap."

"That covers most of it."

"Any luck finding new members?"

When I asked, Horikita immediately made a sour face.

"There are candidates, but it's unclear if they'll agree."

"By any chance, is it Ayanokouji?"

"I already asked, but he refused. Not that I didn't expect it."

Ayanokouji isn't the type for the student council anyway. He probably turned it down thinking it would cut into his free time.

"...It would've been nice if you were in the same class."

Her whisper was so quiet that I might not have heard it if there had been more noise around us, but the area was silent, so it reached my ears clearly.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in joining the student council either."

"...Could you pretend you didn't hear that since I kept my voice down?"

Horikita's face turned red, and she quickly averted her gaze. A slip of the tongue, perhaps.

"Hey... do you remember this morning?"

"This morning? More importantly, why won't you look at me?"

"...Habit."

"What kind of habit is that?"

I've never heard of a habit where someone avoids eye contact entirely. But Horikita didn't seem inclined to turn back, so I let it go.

"This morning, we walked to school together. What about it?"

"There was something I didn't get to say."

"Something you didn't get to say... Oh, when Kushida interrupted us?"

Horikita still didn't look at me, but she nodded slightly, so I must have been right.

"It's about what I was going to say then. If you're free, would you—"

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun!"

Just like this morning, her words were cut off. But this time, the intruder wasn't Kushida.

"...Matsushita-san."

"Horikita-san, it's rare to see you with Hikigaya-kun. Were you talking about something?"

"...Nothing important."

"I see. That's good."

Matsushita, who had slipped between me and Horikita, smiled cheerfully as she spoke to Horikita. This was the first time I'd seen these two together.

"Matsushita, you heading back too?"

"More like I was looking for you, Hikigaya-kun, because I had something to discuss."

"With me?"

"Yeah, but it can wait. Another time."

Her intense gaze sent an inexplicable shiver down my spine, but I chose to ignore it.

From there, the three of us—me, Horikita, and Matsushita—walked back to the dorm. I was in the middle, with Horikita and Matsushita on either side.

"...Hey, Matsushita, aren't you standing a bit too close?"

"Hikigaya-kun likes soft things, right? Isn't this nice?"

Her devilish smile and vague wording made it clear she was teasing me on purpose.

"...I agree with Hikigaya-kun. You're a little too close."

"Really? Hikigaya-kun and I are close, so this is normal."

"It's not about how close you are. There's such a thing as appropriate distance between boys and girls."

"Horikita-san, you're pretty much the only girl who'd say that."

This was unbearably awkward. They're in the same class—can't they get along a little better?

As I tuned out their bickering, the dorm finally came into view. Though it was the same route as always, today it felt incredibly long. Maybe it was just my imagination.

While waiting for the elevator, Matsushita peeked at my face and tugged at my arm.

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun, are you free this weekend?"

"I am."

"Then, would you—"

"Wait."

Horikita cut in. To get my attention, she grabbed my arm firmly—the first time she'd ever initiated contact like that.

"I still haven't finished what I was saying earlier."

"Oh? So you were talking about something."

Come on, elevator, hurry up.

To ignore their argument, I anxiously watched the floor indicator. It was moving way too slowly. As it reached the 5th, 4th, 3rd, and then 2nd floor, both of them suddenly yanked my arms hard.

""Go out with—!""

Their voices reached both my ears just as the ding of the elevator arrival drowned them out, and the doors slowly opened.

"...Eh.........Eh?"

Inside the elevator was Ayanokouji. His foot, about to step out, froze mid-air, and he let out two dumbfounded sounds.

"..."

—Click

"......"

—Click click

"..."

Clickclickclickclick!!!!

After a long pause, Ayanokouji frantically mashed the 'close' button, leaning forward with all his might. Stunned by the sudden scene, I couldn't move until the doors shut. But Matsushita, standing to my left, reacted differently.

She wedged her hand into the closing doors and forced them open.

"...Hikigaya-kun, could you take the stairs?"

"Horikita and I need to talk to Ayanokouji-kun."

"......Understood."

The two of them quickly stepped into the elevator, leaving me with only their backs, but Ayanokouji inside must have seen their expressions clearly. I felt a pang of guilt seeing his face turn pale, but my own safety came first.

"Wai—"

As the doors closed with a thud, Ayanokouji reached out toward me, but I ignored him and headed for the stairs.

......

+Side Story 1

After Hachiman left the student council room, Nagumo leaned back deeply in his chair and stretched. Kiriyama, watching him from the corner of his eye, fixed him with a sharp gaze and asked:

"Why did you call Hikigaya?"

"Like I said earlier. To be a witness. That's all."

"Sorry, but that's not enough for me. If you just needed a fair witness, you could've chosen someone like Ayanokouji. Why Hikigaya?"

"That's unusual, Kiriyama. I didn't expect you to press me like this."

"Just a simple question."

At Kiriyama's response, Nagumo continued with a carefree expression.

"Calling Hikigaya as a witness wasn't wrong. But I had another purpose."

"Another purpose?"

"Did you notice? Hikigaya doesn't believe for a second that I can beat Ayanokouji."

"...What?"

Kiriyama was momentarily stunned by Nagumo's casual remark.

"Even today, when he heard Ayanokouji wagered his expulsion, Hikigaya didn't react at all. It's like he thinks there's zero chance of it happening."

"That's..."

Kiriyama didn't know the relationship between the two, so he couldn't easily dismiss it. But he also couldn't imagine Nagumo, the student council president, losing.

"Pretty insulting, huh? Thinking I'd lose."

Kiriyama expected Nagumo's face to flush with anger, but it didn't.

"That's why I thought—I'll make sure he watches me crush Ayanokouji."

"That's the reason?"

"Yeah. I want him. If I destroy Ayanokouji right in front of him, possibilities will open up. That's the gist of it."

"...I see."

As Nagumo smiled faintly with narrowed eyes, Kiriyama let out a deep sigh.

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

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