Undefined (CoTE x Male Reader)

Chapter 11 - (SS) Ichinose's Improvements

"Religion is like a blind man looking in a black room for a black cat that isn't there, and finding it."
Òscar Wilde~
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Midterms II.

"They're crying about me not attending a single day of the study group you guys made?" Are you serious?

"Thanks but no thanks, I don't swing that way."

I swear I'll get back at them.

"Umm... I think?"

Ichinose already knew where the direction of our conversation was going. Her tone indicated her worries.

"It's not really like that." Cuck no. 1 stepped in before I could continue.

"We were just thinking; if you're good at everything the school has us to do, then why not help us a little bit?" Three of my classmates stepped in, all boys.

"Exactly!" The remaining two that didn't speak was just cheering for their two friends.

"No, and no. Put two and two together, even if I got an A in academics, that doesn't necessarily mean it will reflect on my tutoring skills." Not to mention I get to live my school life as long as I don't bother anyone. "And knowing you guys, it's obvious you'd much prefer Ichinose to tutor you rather than a fellow guy."

I didn't know any of these guys, I don't even know of their names. I didn't notice because I had good deducting skills, but these guys obviously had another reason for throwing some shade at me. And I just so happen to have an idea why.

"What's exactly happening here, hmm?"

Before it could escalate even further, our dear teacher jumped in head first into the argument.

"Ah, well..." They may have been pretty headstrong earlier, but it looks like they're still no match for her.

"Do you guys know where the class' study lessons for our midterms originated from?" Sensei asked with a hint of cheekiness.

"You don't mean...?"

I couldn't get my head around what she was getting at, while others in clear contrast: seemed to have understood what she meant.

"Yes, indeed. It's the 'perfect' test guide from your very classmate."

Ahh... This is a surprise.

Sensei decided to make a move now, huh? So much for me saying I needed to take care of it.

Everyone, most obviously the ones that complained were silenced by Sensei's (not-so) surprising interference.

I gave Hoshinomiya-sensei a look as
I stood up, thanking her in my mind.

To my surprise, a certain important figure of our class followed shortly after. It's entirely possible that Ichinose only wanted to walk together, and I didn't have any problems with that.

That's what I would have thought of, if she didn't exactly look like she wanted to talk about something.

"That was intense, wasn't it?" Not really.

"We have some opportunists in our class." It seriously caught me off guard.

I would've been subject to a harsh rebuttal if I were talking to the past Ichinose. Imperfect as it is, her view of things inside this school was gradually changing.

"I just wonder..." Hmm? "Why is it that the higher you are, more people wants to bring you down?"

"That's a serious subject," A welcome one. "We should talk about it when you get some breather. You look beat."

I pat her shoulders, it really did look like this and that was taking a toll to Ichinose's demeanor.

She's being silent, or I should say she's clearly spacing out, is the realization that hard to accept?

Maybe the happening earlier wasn't so bad after all.

Normally I would just ignore this and go on with my day, but knowing that I was partly... Or rather, it's entirely my fault, I felt the obligation to at least hear out her concerns. I'm even surprised Ichinose doesn't hold any negative feelings towards me.

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"I only have cocoa, coffee, and green tea."

"Sorry for barging in..." She curiously looked all over my room, everything seems to be catching her eyes.

There wasn't really anything, maybe there was. Some pictures of Kamuro and myself posted on the wall.

"You can sit on the bed, let me just get something for us to drink." I loosened up my tie, heaved a sigh and walked towards the kitchen.

I think there's still hot water stored.

"I'll have cocoa, if it isn't a bother."

It isn't.

It took only a minute or two for me to make our drinks. I made a habit of storing some hot water for later so that I don't have to heat anything up when I wanted a cup of coffee.

"Thanks," She gratefully accepted the hot cup.

I pulled the chair on the corner and turned it to face Ichinose. As much as I disliked the former Ichinose, her current self now was much, much better. She's way weaker, and not as headstrong as she was in the past.

But that's a meager cost for broadening her views and potential.

"You have much more to learn. How many times do I have to tell you? Focus on yourself before others, if one helps too much, like you did, others would get too dependent."

She's really regretting helping too many times. What she's doing is but a recipe of disaster, Ichinose was now facing the repurcusions.

The actions of my classmates might have been a brutal slap of reality for her.

Not everyone is as kindhearted as you are. Most are just taking advantage of your kindness. When there's an object for praise, there must be another for hate.

Her thoughts at the moment are something of the likes. While those around Ichinose looked to be perfect, those that were not, was anything but.

"Some people can be pretty terrible...
I guess some of our classmates are exactly that."

This is good. Shatter your ideals and stick to logic. Nothing is as great as rationality.