COTE : Is Talent Everything? (Rewrite)-Chapter 132 - 127: 1 Day Priority

"...We just happened to run into each other, that's all."

"Is that so? I'm glad to hear you haven't broken our promise."

Leaning on her cane, she slowly walked past Hiyori—who was struggling to process the situation—and stood next to me with another sweet smile.

"My apologies, Shiina-san. He belongs to me today, so I'd appreciate it if you gave up."

"Wh—Hachiman...?"

Even as Hiyori shot me a look filled with protest, today was the one day I couldn't yield. Arisu took absolute priority.

"Sorry, Hiyori. Today, I'm prioritizing Arisu over anyone else."

"Wh-why...?!"

"Fufu. That has such a pleasant ring to it. So you see, Shiina-san, you have no right to interfere with his decision."

That's right. For today, I had to prioritize Arisu above all else.

As for how things ended up like this... we have to rewind to last night.

........

The time was 10 PM on Sunday. Just as I was about to go to bed to prepare for the next day, I got an insistent call from Arisu.

"Spend an entire day prioritizing me above everyone else?"

"Yes. Exactly that."

The call was about the chess bet we'd made before the school trip—the one where the winner could ask for any one favor, no matter what. It had been a close match, but I lost, and now she was calling in that favor.

"...Are you sure that's the order you want to give? You could make better use of it, don't you think?"

"I've given it some thought, and I've concluded there's nothing better than this."

So that was the best she could come up with...?

"I won't force you. As we agreed back then, any requests must stay within each other's boundaries. If you want to refuse, Hachiman, you're free to do so."

Arisu said it was fine if I refused, but based on her wording alone, there wasn't much reason to decline. Besides, it'd be pointless to turn her down after going through the trouble of making the bet in the first place.

"Can I ask a few questions?"

"Go ahead. I'll answer anything."

"How far does this 'prioritizing you above everyone else' thing go?"

"Hmm... Well, if another girl tries to get close to you, you'll refuse them for my sake. Prioritize me above all else—that sort of thing. Objectively speaking, it's what you'd call a 'disgustingly lovey-dovey couple.'"

I see. That much was within acceptable limits for a bet. Essentially, it was like being fake lovers. ...Well, given how things are between Arisu and me now, we might already be past that stage.

As Arisu waited silently for my response, I gave her my answer.

"Fine. It'd be pointless to refuse after making the bet. Besides, if it's your request, I'll do my best to fulfill it."

"You say such heartwarming things so casually. Fufu, that's why I love you."

"You're one to talk."

"Oh? So 'I love you' makes you happy, Hachiman? That's valuable information."

She seemed delighted that I agreed, her voice dancing playfully over the phone. Maybe I would've accepted even without the bet.

"Starting tomorrow, then?"

"Yes. Though, just so you know... I'd be very happy if you came to pick me up from my room."

"...You want me to go to the girls' floor during peak commuting hours?"

"I'm not forcing you. I'm just saying it'd make me happy."

"...I'll come get you around 8."

"What a wonderful boyfriend you are. I'll be waiting."

.......

And that was how things unfolded last night.

True to my word, I went to pick up Arisu in the morning—only to run into Hiyori, which, under normal circumstances, would've been lucky, but right now, it was the worst possible outcome. Still, I managed to navigate the situation, and now the two of us were walking to school together.

I explained the situation to Hiyori, and while she didn't seem entirely convinced... she let it slide. The thought of what would happen after today was over terrified me.

"When I'm with you, Hachiman, it's much more meaningful to have your arm supporting me rather than my cane."

"Supporting" was putting it lightly—she was practically clinging to me.

"Really? I'd think the cane is easier to walk with."

"I may be a little biased."

"I'm honored."

Her words made me want to pat her head, but since one of mine was occupied with her, I had to give up on that idea.

This wasn't the first time I'd walked to school with Arisu, but as expected, standing out with her meant drawing stares from everyone around us.

"At this point, Hachiman, you really should get used to the attention."

Reading my thoughts from my behavior, she spoke with an air of exasperation. Her observational skills were as sharp as ever.

"Pretty sure I'll never get used to it. If I could, I'd go back to the early days when I was invisible."

"Isn't it too late for that? Your exploits since becoming a second-year have been nothing short of dazzling. Rumor has it that first-years treat you like an idol."

"...Seriously?"

"Dead serious."

My shoulders slumped at this unwanted revelation. I could dismiss it as just a rumor, but Arisu's intel was never wrong.

"...Maybe I should ask Takahashi to spread some bad rumors about me to balance things out."

"I think that'd just make the gossip even more tangled and draw more attention."

"..."

"You look like you just bit into a bug. Don't worry. If I'm by your side, most girls will keep their distance."

"Maybe I should actually ask you to do that."

"Leave it to me."

As we continued our half-joking conversation, Arisu kept her eyes forward and asked me a question.

"Now then, Hachiman. Among all the stares directed at us, do you notice one particularly intense glare?"

"...Yeah."

Coming from the right diagonal behind us. With a quick glance, I spotted a student staring daggers at us while typing on her phone. Her eyes were so dark, it felt like I'd get sucked in if we made eye contact.

"...So the nonstop notifications on my phone weren't just my imagination."

"Matsushita-san has become quite assertive, hasn't she? Did something happen during the school trip?"

"Your intuition is practically supernatural at this point."

Implicitly confirming her words, I opened my phone to check the flood of notifications—likely all from Matsushita. Arisu, seemingly curious, leaned in to look as well.

Hey

Why are you with Sakayanagi?

You're too close

I should've been the one with you

If you want to link arms, I'm right here. I'd definitely feel better than Sakayanagi

You're talking way too happily

Why aren't you replying?

You've seen the notifications, right?

Hey

Answer me

...Scary.

I'd never gotten messages at a rate of one per second before.

I quickly typed out an explanation and sent it to Matsushita. Finally, the storm of notifications stopped—but now I was afraid she'd start digging deeper.

"Occasionally, I see some rather provocative messages directed at me..."

And now she was bringing up the chest comment. I was getting squeezed from both sides here.

"Hachiman doesn't judge women by their chest size... Right?"

This was a response I couldn't afford to mess up. After careful consideration, I came up with the perfect save.

"Yeah, Arisu, it's not about size—it's more about how sensitive you are when I touc—GYAH!?"

"You really have no delicacy at all...!!"

She pinched my arm with inhuman strength. When I looked at her face, she was bright red, glaring at me half-heartedly.

Why? That was the perfect response.

........

Morning classes ended, and the long-awaited lunch break arrived.

Naturally, I was supposed to eat with Arisu. Since it was the guy's job to pick her up, I left the classroom—apologizing silently to Hiyori—and headed to Class A.

"Huh...? Hikigaya-kun...?"

Just as I reached the door of Class A, I coincidentally ran into Yamamura as she was stepping out.

"What's wrong? Do you need something in Class A...?"

"Not something—someone."

"Oh, Sakayanagi-san?"

"Yeah."

"I thought so."

I had no idea how she knew, but Yamamura began explaining as if she'd read my mind.

"Actually, Sakayanagi-san has been in a really good mood all day, and since Hashimoto-kun sits near her, he said it was related to you..."

So her mood had been noticeably better, huh?

"Still, you've gotten pretty comfortable around me, Yamamura."

"! I-Is that bad?"

"Not at all. If anything, as a friend, I'm happy you feel that way."

"Y-yes. I... I'm happy too."

Her lips curled up slightly in a shy smile.

For some reason, Yamamura and I just clicked. I couldn't put it in words, but... I guess you could say we were on the same wavelength.

"Yamamura, do you read novels or anything?"

"Novels...? A little, yeah."

"If you're interested, I've got some recommendations. If you'd like, next time—"

"—If I'd like, what?"

A voice colder than absolute zero cut through our casual conversation. Behind Yamamura stood Arisu, smiling at me.

"S-sorry, I'm in the way, aren't I...?"

Seemingly overwhelmed by Arisu's aura, Yamamura scurried away, trembling. She probably thought staying would cause trouble for me.

"N-no, that was just... I came to pick you up and got caught up in conversation..."

"Promise broken. You're out."

Panicking, I tried to explain that I had come to get her, but Arisu swiftly delivered her verdict.

"Out?"

"On the contrary, how could you not be out after neglecting me like that?"

"Out...? As in what?"

"A penalty game. ...The rumors are going to multiply, aren't they? ♡"

She let go of her cane and leaned forward as if to fall. Reflexively, I bent down to catch her—only realizing it was a trap after our lips met. Lately, I've been getting forced into things against my will more and more often.

"Now that the penalty game is over, shall we go? I've made lunch for you, of course."

"You switch gears fast. The others aren't taking it well, though."

Kitou was glaring at us like we were incomprehensible, and Hashimoto was being obnoxiously loud. How could anyone laugh that hard at seeing people kiss?

"I don't care if people misunderstand. Either way, I'll be the one by your side in the future."

"...My bad. Sorry."

"Yes, good job apologizing."

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When I obediently apologized, Arisu reached up and patted my head. She was teasing me, treating me like a child, but...

"You're kinda cute when you stretch to reach."

"...Shut up."

I was taller than average, so petite Arisu had to stand on her tiptoes to reach.

"Sorry, I need to use the restroom. Wait for me?"

Before heading to the cafeteria, I made a quick stop at the restroom. With Arisu's permission, I hurried in and out. Just as I finished washing my hands and was about to leave, someone yanked my arm and pinned me against the wall.

"Gotcha~ ♡"

"M-Matsushita...?"

Standing in front of me was Matsushita, arms planted on either side of me to block my escape. Her sweet, syrupy eyes locked onto me, and her dreamy expression softened further when we made eye contact.

"Sakayanagi-san is so unfair. Pay attention to me too. Actually, don't pay attention to anyone but me."

"I explained the situation this morning."

"You explained, but I'm not convinced."

As she said this, she cupped my cheeks with both hands.

"What was it again? You're prioritizing Sakayanagi-san today, right? ...How jealous. Maybe I should bite your tongue again~"

"Don't. My tongue still hasn't healed from last time."

"Hmm~ If I can't bite your tongue, maybe I'll bite somewhere else~"

"Stop with the biting."

"But I love leaving marks~ ♡"

Marking someone's body was a sign of possessiveness. Matsushita might be more jealous than I thought.

"I need to get back to Arisu..."

"Then one last thing~"

She pulled my face down, and before I knew it, it was buried in her chest.

"...!"

"That tickles, Hikigaya-kun~ ♡ Come on, you're a boy—you're happy, right?"

The softness pressed against my entire face, and her sweet scent filled my nose with every breath. I instinctively thrashed, but Matsushita held my head in place, preventing any escape.

"I'm the type who looks slimmer than I am, so I'm actually pretty big, you know~ Wanna compare me to Sakayanagi-san~?"

She finally released me, but... the lingering sensation was overwhelming. It was such an unfamiliar feeling that my thoughts were completely scrambled.

"Did you do all this just to compete with Arisu?"

"Duh~ Right now, the only thing I have over Sakayanagi-san is my body~ So? Did it feel good~?"

"...No comment."

"Hikigaya-kun, you really are just a boy, huh~"

Matsushita's way of expressing her feelings had changed so drastically that it left me at a loss. She was being both logical and aggressive—I had no idea how to respond.

"I'm leaving. Arisu's gonna get really mad soon."

Today was supposed to be all about prioritizing Arisu.

At the mention of Arisu's name, Matsushita narrowed her eyes in clear displeasure, but she soon calmed down and flashed me another saccharine smile.

"Fine, I'll let it slide for today. Sorry for holding you back~"

"Nah, I'm the one who... Never mind."

Remembering what just happened made me avert my gaze as I left.

"—I'll never let you get away~ ♡"

The sweetest words I'd ever heard brushed past my ears, but I pretended not to hear them.

"You smell like another girl."

"I still came back, didn't I?"

Keeping secrets was bad, so I explained everything to Arisu before we headed to the cafeteria.

.......

"It's been a fulfilling day, hasn't it?"

"I guess. I'm exhausted."

Arriving at Hachiman's room, he slumped down, looking completely drained as he set down his things.

Today had been a wonderful day. From morning till now, he had prioritized me above all else, brushing off other girls with ease. The sight of their frustrated expressions was proof that he belonged to me—it filled me with delight and happiness.

Unconsciously, I found myself lost in a daze, pressing my hands to my cheeks to keep myself from smiling too widely.

"Well, if it was a good day for you, Arisu, then it was worth it."

"...Forgive me. I got carried away. Are you tired?"

Seeing Hachiman sitting cross-legged on the floor, I quickly regained my composure.

"I am tired, but not because of you. More because of everything around us."

Now that he mentioned it, we had been watched quite a bit—Shiina-san, Amasawa-san, even Student Council President Nagumo and Senior President Ayanokouji had been staring at us in the cafeteria.

But the fact that he explicitly said it wasn't because of me made my cheeks relax again. What was I to do? Being with him all day had made my feelings overflow.

I sat down beside him and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Thank you for indulging my selfishness today."

"If it's this level of selfishness, I'll indulge you anytime."

Ah, what do I do? What do I do? If I don't vent these sweet, swirling emotions in my chest somehow, I feel like I'll burst.

Activating my brain at full capacity like during a special exam, I quickly devised a solution.

"Is there anything you'd like me to do for you, Hachiman?"

I loved both giving and receiving. If he had any desires, I wanted to fulfill them all with my own hands. But knowing him, he'd probably hesitate, so I adjusted my voice to sound as sweet as possible, whispering close to his ear.

"For your sake, I'll grant any wish."

Just a second ago, he'd been muttering something like, "Wanna ask you to make dinner? ...Wait, you already do that every day." But now, he froze.

Dinner was nothing worth asking for. There had to be something else. You are a healthy high school boy, after all. ...It's embarrassing for a girl to have to be the one to bring it, you know.

"Then, there is one thing."

"What is it?"

I asked eagerly, and Hachiman hesitated before murmuring his request.

"Can I touch your thighs?"

Snap.

I stiffened in shock, but since I wasn't some ordinary girl, I quickly regained my senses.

"Y-your... thighs?"

I never expected him to be interested in that part of a girl's body. If anything, I'd assumed it'd be... well, the chest. But thighs?

"...Why my thighs?"

"Lately, I've been catching myself staring at thighs. After comparing notes with Ayanokouji, I realized this might be what they call a 'fetish.'"

...What exactly do you and Ayanokouji-kun do together?

That aside, if it was something he was interested in, I had no reason to refuse. ...It was a little embarrassing, but if it meant he'd pay attention to me...

"Very well. You may touch them."

"Wait, really?"

"Yes, go ahead."

Trying to maintain my composure, I stretched out my legs slightly. I was still in my uniform since we'd just gotten back, but maybe the skirt would make it better for him.

Hesitantly, Hachiman reached out and gently touched the area just above my knees. ...Was this okay? Was he disappointed? My legs were on the slender side—how did they look to him?

As I fretted silently, Hachiman's hand crept further up, venturing dangerously close to the hem of my skirt. The movement of his hand caused the fabric to shift, and I could feel the heat rising to my face, making it impossible to look at him.

"Eek!?"

Rather than just touching, his large hands began kneading my thighs, stroking and squeezing them. With a click, the sock garters I always wore came undone, leaving my bare thighs completely exposed to his slightly cold palms. I couldn't help but jerk at the sensation. ...Thighs weren't a part of the body meant to be touched by others, so the unfamiliar feeling sent shivers through me...

"Nn...!!"

Just as I thought that, Hachiman suddenly pulled his hands away.

"Sorry, I got carried away. I'll stop now... Arisu?"

"Huh... Ah."

Unconsciously, I had grabbed his retreating hand. Realizing this, my face burned even hotter, and I covered it with both hands in embarrassment.

"My bad. I made you indulge my selfishness this time."

"N-no, um... how was it?"

"Seems like I do have a thigh fetish. Mystery solved."

"Th-that's not what I meant...!"

I didn't want to seem like a shameless girl, but my anxiety made me press further.

"H-how were... my thighs?"

"Oh, uh... Hard to put into words, but they felt nice. It was a new experience. Thanks, Arisu."

My anxiety melted into relief. It seemed I'd managed to make him happy.

But then—

"Arisu...?"

I tugged on his arm, peering up at his confused face. Really, you're the only one who could make me say something like this. Like I thought earlier... it's embarrassing for a girl to have to be the one to ask.

"It's not enough. I want... you."

The day wasn't over yet.

Today, you're prioritizing me above all else—to the very end.

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

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