COTE : Is Talent Everything? (Rewrite)-Chapter 131 - 126: Return

"It's not that––––––"

"O-or... do you not want to be with me anymore...? Did you hate hugging me all this time...? Do you... do you hate me now...?"

"Let's calm down first."

I pat her head to soothe her, as she looks on the verge of tears, her voice trembling. Normally, this would calm her down, but given the nature of the conversation, Hiyori's anxiety doesn't fade at all."

"B-but..."

"I have no complaints about you. Being able to spend time with a beautiful girl like you and eat your homemade meals makes me the happiest guy in this academy. Complaining would just be ungrateful."

Even after stating the facts, the unease in Hiyori's eyes doesn't disappear. But it's understandable—asking her to return the spare key out of the blue would naturally upset her.

"Then why...?"

"It's nothing complicated. I just started wondering if this is morally okay."

"...Morally?"

Confusion seems to outweigh her anxiety as she tilts her head in puzzlement.

"Right now, my room... can be accessed by three girls, including you, with spare keys, right?"

"Y-yes. Though I deeply resent the fact that others besides me have spare keys."

I feel like she just voiced a different kind of complaint, but I'll let it slide for now.

"Thinking about it again, this situation doesn't sit right with me. A high school guy living in a pseudo-cohabitation with three girls is... a bit unconventional, don't you think?"

"Eh? You're saying that now, after already being involved with all three of them?"

"...You've got a point."

I can only hang my head at her blunt, matter-of-fact retort. Well, she's not wrong.

"Sorry for making this selfish request. If you don't want to return the key, you can keep it."

I've said what I needed to say, so whatever happens next is fine.

"I'm glad... When I first heard it, I thought you were getting tired of me."

"There's no way I'd ever dislike you, Hiyori."

"Fufu~. Hachiman-kun always knows just what to say. I'll always, always love you too."

With a relieved sigh, Hiyori smiles softly and returns a loving remark.

"I'd still like to keep the spare key. I love welcoming you home."

"Welcoming me?"

"Being the first to say 'welcome back' when you return. I love that."

It's true—whenever I come back, Hiyori always makes a point of greeting me at the door with a smile, no matter if she's cooking or reading. Her smile always warms my heart.

"I was surprised you'd suddenly start worrying about morals, Hachiman-kun."

"Well, I just had a moment of self-reflection and got confused. Sorry for the weird request."

"If you narrowed it down to just me, the problem would be solved. You should take back the other two's keys."

"You're pretty harsh on Arisu and Amasawa."

Lately, her possessiveness seems to be getting noticeably stronger. Or is it just my imagination?

.....

Arriving in front of my dorm room after several days away, I take a moment to stretch. Since Takuya and Amasawa volunteered to clean while I was on the school trip, I left it to them. The faint light seeping under the door means they're already inside.

Alright, time for some warm-up exercises. I roll my shoulders, take a deep breath, and brace myself. With a final crack of my neck, I unlock the door and push it open.

"I'm h––––––"

"Senpaiiiiiii!"

"Onii-sannnnn!!"

Two human missiles crash into me. Thankfully, I anticipated this and manage to catch them without issue. Still, these two really need to learn some restraint—any normal person would've been sent to the hospital.

"Four days without Senpai... ♡ I feel like I'm finally getting my nutrients back~"

Amasawa, her red hair swaying, clings to me while nuzzling her cheek against my chest. Since when did I become a nutritional supplement?

"Onii-sannnnn!! You're back!! You're really back!! Alive!!"

It was just a school trip, you know? Even when I was leaving, he said something similar. What kind of image does Takuya have of school trips? A warzone?

"Senpaaai~ I worked so hard, y'know? Going to school without you... these four days felt like death~"

"I worked harder, Onii-san! Handling student council work and Ichika all by myself! And also...!"

"You both did great. Good job holding out without me."

My response is practically child-rearing at this point, but with Takuya and Amasawa, this is the right approach. Though Amasawa gets mad if I treat her like a kid when we're alone.

"Let's move to the living room. We can't just stand in the doorway."

After a brief hug and some head pats, they reluctantly let me pass. The living room is spotless—cleaner than when I left. The bedsheets are neatly arranged, not a speck of dust in sight, and the table is laden with an extravagant spread of food.

"I cleaned the room! Wanted it to look brand-new when you got back. How is it?"

"It's so clean I'm actually shocked. Thanks, Takuya."

No joke, the place is immaculate. As a token of gratitude, I ruffle his hair, and he grins bashfully.

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"Hey heyyy~ ♡ I made all the food! Went all out 'cause Senpai was coming back~ ♡"

"Amasawa too..."

I reach out to pat her head, but she swats my hand away and leans in close.

"Pats are nice, but I prefer this~"

She points at her lips, tilts forward, and closes her eyes. Feeling a little guilty for making her wait, I oblige.

"♡"

Her eyes flutter dreamily as she cups my cheeks, refusing to let go. Maybe because it's been a while, the kiss lingers, and I start worrying she'll never release me. I forcibly pull away.

"I'm starving. Mind if I eat?"

"...Senpai ran away."

"I needed to breathe."

"Boo. Fine. But I'm not letting you sleep tonight."

"I'm tired. Let me rest."

After hours on the bus, my body aches. All I want is a good night's sleep.

"Ichika. Just so you know, as Onii-san's brother, I also have the right to spend time with him. I've let a lot slide since Onii-san allows it, but don't push your luck."

"Ugh, I'm still savoring the afterglow of kissing Senpai, so can you not interrupt? No matter what Takuya says, Senpai is mine."

"Don't start fighting, you two."

If they keep this up, I'll withhold their souvenirs. The way they immediately deflate and apologize is almost cute.

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