COTE : Is Talent Everything? (Rewrite)-Chapter 130 - 125: An Intense Final Day

She immediately recognized the reference—back during the sports festival, when she was absent and we talked alone in my room. Her memory and sharp mind far surpass the average person's. Flustered but also a little resentful, she glared at me.

"Half of me is annoyed you took control of the conversation, and the other half is just happy to be complimented."

"Feels like you're stripping my heart bare."

"So I was right?"

"...A-Anyway, did you enjoy the school trip, even though it was short?"

She cleared her throat, forcibly changing the subject.

"Yeah. I got to experience a lot of things I never could before. Made some new friends too."

"You mean Yamamura-san? You really are good at winning people over."

"You got along with Tokitou too, didn't you?"

I saw them happily watching the snowball fight together this morning.

"Yes. We had you as a common topic, after all."

"Don't use me as conversation material."

"If you spent more time with me, I wouldn't have to. But I'd like you to recognize this as a girl's cute jealousy."

With Hiyori and Matsushita in the same group, I hadn't been able to spend much time with Arisu during the trip. Her tone suggested this was a light jab at me for not minding.

"Getting back on track, why did you call me here? You didn't just summon me for small talk, right?"

"I wanted to take my time, but... I suppose there's no helping it."

She must've planned to draw out the conversation, but I had plans with Matsushita at 9 p.m. I needed to wrap this up before then.

"During this trip, I've confirmed something. Before we return to school, I wanted to talk about the person who approached you during the sports festival."

Back when Arisu and I skipped the festival and talked in my room—the man who had spoken to me through the door.

"I see. That is an interesting topic."

"Good. I thought you'd be curious about the identity of that voice."

"I've had my suspicions."

Comparing notes with Ayanokouji had left me with questions. Including what I sensed from Nanase, there were still too many uncertainties.

"I already have a good idea who it is."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I just confirmed it with Kamuro-kun, who's connected to him."

"Kamuro?"

The name took me by surprise.

"Why is Kamuro involved?"

Instead of answering, Arisu cut straight to the point.

"The person who approached you during the sports festival... is a first-year named Ishigami Kyou. I'm almost certain."

Ishigami... if I recall, he's in Class 1-A.

"I trust your intel, but I still don't see the connection to Kamuro."

Arisu had said she confirmed it with Kamuro. Even if Ishigami was that person, how was Kamuro involved?

As if anticipating the question, Arisu continued without changing her expression.

"First, let me clarify that Kamuro-kun and I have known each other for a long time."

"Mind telling me how?"

"Our parents are connected. Not directly, but well-known families often get invited to the same parties. That's how we met."

Before enrolling in this school, I had stayed with the Sakayanagi household. I didn't learn much about the family itself, but their estate and Arisu's refined demeanor made it obvious they were prominent.

This was the first I'd heard of Kamuro and Arisu knowing each other, but if it was through social circles, it made sense I wouldn't know.

"Kamuro-kun had more information on Ishigami, so I checked with him first."

"Ah, so that's what you meant by confirmation."

She then relayed what Kamuro had told her. Apparently, Kamuro is the son of a major corporation's executive and deeply respects Ayanokouji's father—that man. He and Ishigami attended the same cram school, but Kamuro didn't know much about his true nature.

"Now then, Hikigaya-kun. Shall we confirm whether Ishigami really is the right person?"

"How do you plan to do that?"

"By asking him directly, of course. That's the fastest way, isn't it?"

Pulling out her phone, Arisu smoothly dialed an 11-digit number. Putting it on speaker, the call connected after just a few rings.

"I figured you'd call around now."

Ishigami's voice was unmistakable—the same one from last year's call and the sports festival.

"You're quite perceptive. I almost thought you were avoiding me."

"I was. You don't need to get involved with me."

"That's not up to you. I need to know whether you'll stand in Hikigaya-kun's way in the future."

"Hachiman Hikigaya, huh? You're pretty infatuated with him."

"Of course, we're deeply in love. We're planning to hold a wedding after graduation, so you're invited."

"Huh?!"

I barely managed to stifle my reaction.

"I'm interested in Hachiman too, but as of now, there's no reason for us to be enemies at this school."

"'As of now'...? That's a concerning choice of words."

"If Ayanokouji-sensei orders me to eliminate him, I will. That's all."

His calm tone didn't sound like a lie.

"Don't dig any deeper, Sakayanagi. Especially if you want to stay by Hikigaya Hachiman's... no, your beloved's side."

...Beloved?

Glancing at Arisu, I saw her cheeks slightly flushed, looking utterly pleased.

"I didn't know you two were like that. But if you push further, you won't walk away unscathed. Choose wisely. ...I'll pass on the wedding invite, but I'll think about a gift."

Click. The call ended abruptly.

"...He might be a better person than I thought. For some reason, I find him quite likable."

"Don't get attached over something this trivial."

If she let her guard down this easily, it'd be a disaster.

"Either way, it was him. Though it didn't seem like he was trying very hard to hide it."

"Seems so. If he came to this school just to enjoy student life, I don't plan to interfere."

At the very least, nothing in my interactions with Ishigami so far had felt dangerous—this call included. Since the possibility existed that that man hadn't been targeting my expulsion from the start, there was no need to panic.

"If that's your decision, I'll respect it."

"Thanks, Arisu. You helped me confirm Ishigami's existence."

"Of course. I'd spare no effort for you."

"You're always helping me out."

To mark the end of our serious talk, I gently patted her head. Checking that no one was around, she spread her arms slightly—her usual signal for "Hug me."

The Class A leader, intellectual, ruthless—Arisu, who often gave off that impression, still knew how to act spoiled when she wanted to.

"Shiina-san and Matsushita-san are unfair. I wanted to go sightseeing with you too."

She must've held back from complaining earlier to avoid souring my first trip, but now her grievances spilled out.

"Group assignments were random. But I did want to go with you too."

"Then after graduation, let's go on a trip abroad together. Australia, Europe... anywhere would be fun with you."

"Sounds good. I've never been overseas, so I'm looking forward to it."

"Hehe. Another post-graduation plan to look forward to."

...What do I do? I can't possibly bring up my plans now.

Glancing at the clock, it was already 8:50 p.m. My meetup with Matsushita was at 9, so I needed to wrap this up soon.

"Italy would be nice too. So many famous landmarks, and you'd get to try dishes you've never had before ♪"

How do I break this to Arisu when she's in such high spirits?

"...Arisu."

"Yes?"

"Well, I kinda... have plans at 9. I need to go soon..."

Her expression shifted from confusion to displeasure. Not wanting to inconvenience me, she reluctantly withdrew her arms.

"Hikigaya-kun, you really need to learn more about a girl's heart."

"Sorry. Let's talk more about the trip next time."

"Don't worry, I'm not angry. If it's something more important than me, then it must be serious."

"Yeah... serious, very serious..."

...No way in hell could I say it was a meetup with Matsushita.

Feeling guilty about lying, I convinced myself that some things were better left unsaid.

......

By 9 p.m., the cold night wind had picked up.

The dim lights along the stairs leading to the hilltop barely illuminated the path, and with the snow falling, it wasn't exactly safe.

"Ah... I was planning to go ahead and wait for you."

As I carefully stepped through the snow, Matsushita noticed me from behind and gave a wry smile. Seems we had headed up at the same time.

"Need a hand?"

"No, no. I won't slip on something like this."

Since we were going to the same place anyway, and there was no rule about who had to arrive first, we decided to walk together.

"You picked the hilltop because you figured no one would be here on the last day?"

"Yeah. This way, we can talk alone, right?"

On the final night, most students would be chatting in their rooms or enjoying the hot springs. Few would willingly come out here at this hour.

But just as we were talking, we spotted a pair of figures standing close together on the hilltop's wooden deck.

"Wait... is that Ichinose-san and... Ayanokouji-kun...!?"

I couldn't see their faces, but those silhouettes were unmistakable. It was easy to guess what was happening, but Ayanokouji of all people wouldn't do something like that.

"Matsushita, let's move. We can't talk here."

"...Yeah."

Whispering, we relocated to the opposite side of the deck. The hilltop, with its panoramic night view, was a prime romantic spot—something I hadn't considered.

"What was that about? Ayanokouji-kun has Karuizawa-san as his girlfriend, right? Was he... cheating?"

"No way to know how they ended up like that. Too soon to call it cheating."

"...Right."

Having witnessed that, the atmosphere grew awkward. I'd never felt uncomfortable talking to Matsushita before.

"So, mind telling me why you called me here?"

Staring at the night view, I was the one who broke the silence.

"Ah—yeah. Right."

Matsushita fidgeted, her gaze darting around.

"Um, you know..."

"Yeah?"

"I think... we're pretty close, right?"

"Are you doubting that now...?"

Did only I think we were on good terms?

"No, no! That's not what I meant! I'm saying we are close!"

Leaning in to correct herself, she wasn't wrong.

If we weren't close, we wouldn't have hung out like this or come up here alone.

"I mean, if we weren't, we wouldn't be here watching the night view together."

Pointing at the scenery, Matsushita smiled faintly, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Even though I was nervous earlier, talking to you like this makes me feel at ease."

She seemed back to her usual self.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"What do you think of me?"

"That's a tough question."

"Urk... So you think I'm complicated?"

"I mean it's hard to put into words."

"...I feel like you're making fun of me."

"Not my intention."

Pouting, she hid her face in her scarf.

"You're a good person. You're the only one from another class I can talk to this casually—and the only one who reaches out to me like this."

"...I see."

"Yeah."

Her lips, loosened slightly, moved in a way she herself might not have noticed. The proof? Her eyes widened in surprise when she looked at me.

"I like you."

By the time those two syllables reached my ears, Matsushita was already covering her mouth with both hands. Trembling fingers, wavering eyes. But then, as if resigning herself, she slowly lowered them.

"Ahh... I said it."

"...Matsushita, that's—"

"Yeah. I like you, Hikigaya-kun. As in, romantically. You're my first love, and... I like you enough to want to marry you."

The floodgates had opened, and I was caught off guard.

"I have been dropping hints, you know. Did you notice?"

"...Hard to say."

"At least pretend you did! Normal friends don't let you touch their chest, you know?"

She laughed, exasperated but still playful, her tone unchanged from usual.

"Yesterday... when I saw you with Shiina-san, I actually cried."

"Matsushita..."

"So when I heard you weren't dating her... I was really happy."

"...Matsushita."

"Happy enough that I couldn't help it. I thought... I still had a chance. That's why... I said... I like you..."

"..."

It might've been rude, but I couldn't just stand there.

Her face was on the verge of tears, desperately holding them back, shoulders trembling as she tried to keep her voice steady. Unable to bear it, I pulled her into a hug.

"I'm gonna say something childish now, okay?"

"If that's what you want, I won't stop you."

I couldn't see her face, but her shaky voice told me everything.

"Don't look at anyone else but me."

"..."

"Not Shiina-san, not Sakayanagi-san, not Horikita-san, not Amasawa-san—none of them. Just... just let me... stay by your side..."

"..."

"I'm prettier, and my personality is definitely better, so... pick me..."

"..."

"I'll give you... all of me... so... give me all of you...!"

"..."

"...Please."

Her arms tightened around me, as if acting on instinct.

"I don't understand romance."

"Eh?"

"I've been confessed to before, but I've never accepted. It'd be dishonest to respond without genuine feelings."

This was the truth—the whole truth. I'd never fallen for anyone first.

"That's not it."

Her voice, clear and electrifying, pierced my ears.

"What I want... isn't those words."

"...Matsushita."

"What I want... is a proper answer... okay?"

Releasing her arms, she took a step back. Then—

Crunch.

She pulled me in, pressing her lips against mine, then bit down on my tongue. The metallic taste of blood spread instantly.

"Gh—!"

"I won't let you escape."

The look in her eyes had turned voracious. This was her way of marking her territory—like writing her name on something she owned.

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"You made me fall this hard for you. I won't let you run away."

Her declaration was followed by an unrelenting, possessive gaze.

......

"Tch. Look at that pathetic face."

In the hallway connecting the hilltop to the inn, Ryuuen leaned against the wall, smirking as if he'd been waiting for me.

"Need something?"

"That was the plan, but things just got interesting. I passed Matsushita earlier—she looked like she was about to start skipping, she was so satisfied."

After everything Matsushita had just put me through, my body was burning up despite the cold.

"Judging by your face, you screwed up with another girl again."

"Shut up. None of your business."

"You're never boring to watch. Matsushita had the eyes of a predator. Must be nice."

"Wipe that grin off your face."

Still smirking maliciously, Ryuuen finally got to the point, narrowing his eyes.

"Remember when I told you about the 800 million point plan? You haven't forgotten, right?"

The 800 million point plan—enough to transfer our entire class to Class A. A near-impossible goal. It was an old topic, and I hadn't expected him to bring it up now.

"I remember, but I still don't think it's feasible."

"Figured. The rest of the class'll say the same."

"You're telling them?"

Ryuuen had never revealed the plan to anyone else. Only a select few knew.

"This shit's expensive. No way I can pull it off alone. We've only got a year left—honestly, it's already late to start."

True. To refine this strategy, he'd need the class's cooperation.

But the fact that he brought it up now meant he had something to say—no, a warning to give.

"So, why tell me? You want my help gathering points?"

"Like I'd ask you for help. I've always been the one using you."

Well, fair enough.

From the uninhabited island exam to the unanimous vote exam, Ryuuen and I had never cooperated in the lukewarm sense. We'd always used each other. That was our relationship—partly because we were in the same class, but also just how we were.

"Then why tell me?"

"I'm moving forward with the 800 million point plan. But—you're an exception, Hikigaya. You're not included in it."

His meaning was clear: he wouldn't spend points to transfer me to Class A.

"Harsh discrimination. I want to move up to Class A too."

"If you're gonna lie, at least make it believable. You couldn't care less about Class A. I'd rather use those points after graduation."

This wasn't personal—just pragmatism. Transferring one person cost 20 million points. Cutting me out saved him 20 million.

But Ryuuen's declaration that I was "not included" went beyond mere efficiency.

This was a shared understanding between us.

"Stay out of it. Your existence is a hindrance to the plan."

He pointed at me, stating it outright.

"My existence is a hindrance, huh?"

"Want me to spell it out?"

"Nah, I get it."

The shared understanding between Ryuuen and me was simple: we were never allies to begin with.

He wouldn't waste points on a non-ally. No—he'd never factored me into his calculations at all. This was all groundwork for our eventual clash.

"Looking ahead is fine, but save our fight for after you beat Arisu."

"Tch. That girl's sharp, I'll give her that. But that's all she's got."

Ryuuen smirked, exuding absolute confidence for the year-end exam.

He had grown. That much was undeniable. His talent had expanded beyond expectations, accumulating strength greedily for victory.

But—

Whether he could overcome the final barrier was another matter entirely. His inability to recognize certain obstacles might come back to haunt him when the time came.

.......

The bus ride back to school felt nostalgic. After days away, the campus seemed almost unfamiliar in its familiarity. Students dispersed toward the dorms, and Hiyori and I joined the flow.

"Those were four fun days. Somehow, the school feels nostalgic."

"Yeah. It was a good trip."

New friendships, new developments—a dense four days packed with thoughts and experiences.

"Hikigaya-kun?"

Noticing I'd stopped, Hiyori turned back, tilting her head slightly.

"Now's a good time. There's something I need to ask you."

"Ask me...?"

"I'll be saying the same to Arisu and Amasawa."

I didn't expect her to agree. Amasawa would outright refuse. Then again, Hiyori and Arisu might react the same.

As she stared at me curiously, I made my request.

"Can I have my spare key back?"

"Eh......?"

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