COTE Year 2 Reimagined

Volume 4.5:Part 9

It was now the day to confront Ichinose. We decided to meet at night. Before I met her, however, I needed to take care of something.

The person I had contacted was now waiting for me. I approached and greeted him.

"Strange of you to call me out here, Ayanokoji."

"Is it? I simply wanted to talk to you, Kanzaki."

"Talk about what?"

"Your class has a problem. If you don't fix it, you'll never reach class A."

He was shocked by my words. He knew I was right but didn't expect I'd say it outright.

"And what problem might that be?"

"Ichinose can't lead you to class A. You know that. She's weak."

He was surprised to hear me talk about Ichinose this way, but he couldn't disagree.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that maybe it's time for Class B to have a new leader."

Everything I was saying was already on his mind. He tried to run away instead of acknowledging his thoughts and doubts. But I wouldn't let him.

"Do you even hear yourself? What am I supposed to do? I'm completely alone. Even if I tried to talk to the class nobody would listen to me."

"Are you sure about that? Maybe you just don't know your classmates as well as you think."

"Are you saying someone feels the same way I do?"

"Maybe."

It wasn't time to reveal everything yet. I simply needed to light a fire inside Kanzaki to get him to take the first step. When that happens, he'll be ready.

"Stop making excuses and save your class, Kanzaki. If you do nothing, then you're just as weak as Ichinose."

For Ichinose Honami to grow, she first needed to lose everything.

I walked away from him and could feel him staring at my back the entire team. He didn't need to hear anything else. Kanzaki was going to take the first step all on his own.

When I was walking off, I ran into Kei. It was the first time I've seen her in person since we met on the island. I noticed the third years watching, but I talked to her anyway.

"Do you notice anything?"

She tried to walk past me because she thought I wouldn't want to be seen with her in public. But when she heard me speak, she stopped and looked back at me.

"What?"

I turned around to look at her.

"Do you notice anything?"

She looked around and scanned the area.

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Someone's watching us... no multiple people. They're not even trying to hide it."

"That's right. Good job."

Kei was taken aback and blushed slightly when I complimented her. I started to walk away and could notice her confusion, but she didn't ask anything more.

I wanted to test Kei and see if she'd noticed the third years but also wanted them to see me speaking to her directly.

I spent the rest of my day not doing much, and when the time came, I left my room and went to the spot where I was supposed to meet Ichinose.