COTE: A Man On A Mission || Love is War?

Class A.

Canteen, a place where you can get free soup and rice.

After class, students in Class A of Grade 1 came here to line up for lunch.

Although free wild vegetable set meal tasted terrible, it was free after all and they really needed it.

At end of the withdrawal exam, all points of students in Class A of 1st grade were reset to zero.

The reason was simple. When all the classes were taking the withdrawal exam, only their class decided to collect 20 million points and skip this exam.

Shortfall is 3.3 million.

Then, got help from Sakayanagi who lent 3.3 million points.

Although Sakayanagi, probably out of humanitarianism, lent them 20,000 points each as living expenses, the students in Class A of first year are very self-disciplined.

They have already experienced stripping themselves naked to collect 20 million points, so they don’t think that points can be spent indiscriminately.

Have to save points until the next more brutal exam comes.

So now almost all students in class are eating unpalatable but free meal sets.

Naturally, you will also meet seniors from 3rd-year classes C or D who have a hard life.

”Are you here to get the free package today as well?” a senior said to them.

”Yeah...” Shibata-kun from Class 1-A nodded.

”By the way, do you regret this?” Question was asked by a senior from Class C, Grade 3.

These students from Class 1-A have been queuing up here with them for free meals for more than a week.

Obviously free meals tasted terrible, but they still insisted on eating, and some people thought really didn’t have any points left.

As they got to know each other better, found out they had collected 20 million points to save students who had dropped out.

Then, whole class was in poverty.

”I came to this school hoping to have a good campus life....Although things are a little different from what I imagined, I really like this class and don’t want to see anyone drop out,” Shibata was a very big hearted fool.

In other words, they are quite united and have no regrets.

Show friendship among classmates.

”That’s great.” The 3rd-year seniors are somewhat envious of younger students.

Because there are basically missing students in class, or a lot of them are missing, and spending 20 million points to save their companions is something they can’t do, let alone even think about.

It turns out that first-year students are so awesome.

However, younger students in Class A of first year are eating free meals, and the older students in Class A of 3rd year are also eating that kind of food.

”By the way, Ichinose-san, how about you run for election as well?” A senior from 3rd year wanted to give this junior some advice, ”I can vote for you.....”

100 votes from 3rd graders were taken.

But there is still some space left.

So in process of getting along, these idle tickets also want to find a specific person.

”Sorry, I can’t do that!” Ichinose said quickly.

So although she could get votes, she was not recognized by student council president and therefore was not eligible for the election.

The school atmosphere is pretty good.

And this month’s special exams for senior grades have also ended.

However, Student council gathered all students in gymnasium through the radio.

It was Speech of the President.

It is now January 20th.

The third graders will leave school on March 30th. Before that, one more important thing.



”As the Student Council President, I have been trembling with fear for the past two years. I have been standing at the top of all students, but I also have to consider whether my words and actions have met requirements of the qualified Presidents before me.”

”This semester, actions of the two vice presidents of my Student council have not been satisfactory......This is also because I don’t know people well. In the meantime, new elections will be held at the end of next month.”

”Because two candidates withdrew, the current candidate for Student council president is only Sakayanagi Arisu from Class B, first year.”

”Due to being only candidate, Sakayanagi has a high chance of winning. So, I plan to recruit her to the Student Council as Vice President in advance.”

”💢” Nagumo.

In other words, Arisu Sakayanagi from Class B, first year student, was appointed as Vice president by Horikita Manabu.

Although both of Manabu’s vice presidents resigned due to mistakes, this position has been considered toxic by some people.

But this time, Sakayanagi was different.

She was being trained as next student council president, and being appointed now was to allow her to familiarize herself with duties first.

For a moment, almost all students in the gymnasium looked at cute silver-haired girl standing at front of 1st grade class.

Sakayanagi’s popularity has reached its peak.

xxxxx

Coming back from gym.

Hachiman went to shopping district.

Then, he went directly to a Sukiyaki shop which was more expensive but had a low customer flow and a nice environment.

”Have you been waiting for a long time?” Hachiman came in from store door and was taken to the reserved table by the waiter.

There is a cute girl.

”No,” said the girl with a blond ponytail, ”Besides, you should have waited for me before!”

Forehead.

Hikigaya-kun then recalled she was probably talking about the date when he picked up Asahina’s amulet.

Speaking of which, Today he saw that Nagumo seemed to be in a bad mood.

His dream of becoming Student council president was shattered, leaving Sakayanagi without even a competitor.

”I never understood anything about you girls,” Hachiman complained outside his heart, thoughts leaking out violently, ”But food here is pretty good. I’ve eaten here before.”

”...” Karuizawa, ’It’s okay if you’ve eaten it. But, who did you go with?’

Although she was somewhat curious, Karuizawa felt it was best not to ask at this time.

Waiter had already brought the food.

”Crack-”

Karuizawa took out her cell phone and took several photos.

”Don’t include me in the picture!” Hikigaya said quickly.

”Don’t worry, I won’t take any photos. Besides, If I’m caught having dinner with a boy, I’ll definitely be asked all sorts of questions!” Karuizawa was very alert when it comes to social life, ”Everyone likes topic of love. It’s just that.....I’m a little curious.”

As meal was still hot, neither of them started eating.

However, Karuizawa has a problem that has been bothering her for a long while.

”What?” Hachiman was confused.

”It was about the class voting to drop out of school exam at beginning of the month. Why did you ask us to write Sakayanagi Arisu’s name?” Karuizawa couldn’t but question it wildly in her heart, she really wanted to know.

At that time, Hikigaya-kun sent a message to members of their large group, asking to fill in the box for praise votes from other classes with the name of Arisu Sakayanagi.

”Sakayanagi-san is our enemy, right?” Karuizawa asked very slowly, pausing where she felt like she needed to build the right atmosphere, ”Or... are you against her--”

”Sakayanagi received a special order for this exam. She was required to expel someone, but she refused it. So, I thought she might be in some danger,” Hachiman thought about it for two seconds and said something half-truthful.

The fact that Sakayanagi is Chairman Sakayanagi’s daughter should not be known to too many people.

However, most of classmates knew that he was canvassing for Sakayanagi.

A reason is needed.

”Since, I can give her a chance to avoid expulsion in this exam, let’s give it to her. Sakayanagi sometimes treats me to dinner, and I don’t want her to drop out so early.....”

”• •” Karuizawa. ’In other words, Hikigaya Hachiman is protecting his long-term meal ticket. Sakayanagi-san is so cute, but you just treat her as a meal ticket?’

”Speaking of which, if she confessed to you, would you agree? You got so many tickets, Hikigaya-kun. It must have been her who pulled them for you.....” Then, while saying this, she fixed her eyes on Hikigaya-kun.

”Probably rejected. I often dream of marrying her but only to get tricked by her into going to work.....”

”???” Karuizawa.

Then it’s like an evaluation.

”It’s so scary.”

”• ? •” Karuizawa felt this person was indeed hopeless, ”What about Kushida-san? If she confesses to yo---”

”This shouldn’t be possible,” Hachiman already felt a lot of dreadful if such day ever comes, ”I can’t imagine she would do such a thing, and if she did it, it must be that Kushida wanted to use me. Or she encountered something she couldn’t handle!”

’Is it so real? You have so many dark thoughts! However, although two signed an agreement to get married after graduation, it seems that relationship between Hikigaya-kun and Kushida-san is quite ordinary.’

’So is there still a chance?’ Karuizawa thought to herself.

xxxxxx

With the withdrawal exam over and Director’s hospitalization, school life seems a lot calmer.

The only pity is that Chairman Sakayanagi, who Hachiman also thinks is a good person, has not returned.

Hachiman is relieved when he occasionally sees Arisu and finds that she is quite calm.

Even though he treats many people as tools and meal tickets, but Hachiman also hopes that... her father can come back because he is much more formal than Tsukishiro.

Under the management of Chairman Sakayanagi, he accumulated his first 40 million in life.

So, like this atmosphere where he can make money.

’However, there is no need to worry too much about Acting Tsukishiro now, because he has already gone to the hospital. Can’t go back to school for time being.’

”...”

”...”

Hachiman often feels that his thinking has been assimilated.

’Why is it that when I judge a person, alwaysconsiderwhether other person is useful? Sure enough, is it because I came to this school and got influenced by it?’

So, he stayed in bed again today.

Because of incident of a current classmate dropping out, not only students in the class, but entire first grade seemed a lot quieter.

Now there is no need to urge them at all, people will study seriously on own.

Because existence of those who dropped out makes you realize that world they live in is not such an easy one.

Although there are some people who think, can just proceed step by step, and there is no need to work so hard, and not that dangerous, but as a human observer, although Hikigaya has discovered such people, he will not say a word to them.

’After all, as long as Chairman Sakayanagi hasn’t returned, there will be more and more exams related to dropping out of school.’

’Therefore, my class also needs someone to deal with various exit exams.....’

’Since those people are not working hard, wouldn’t it be a good thing to contribute to class and keep myself a bit more safe?’

xxxxxxx

”Want to have breakfast together?”

Because it was the weekend, Hachiman tentatively invited Suzune, who had no friends.

”No.”

But unfortunately, this girl still likes to be alone.

If it is not necessary, she will basically not go out with Hachiman, and there are still a few days before next exam.

xxxxxx

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