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

“We were just talking about how the play ended too early and we were still not satisfied,” Hikigaya-kun took the initiative to speak when he saw Sakayanagi approaching, “Kamuro-san boasted that as a genius, you can do everything.”

“I see.” Sakayanagi seemed to think for a moment. ”Playing the piano...I did learn this for two and a half weeks when I was a kid. If you don’t mind, I can still show off a little.”

Is that so? Since there is still time, Hikigaya-kun listens attentively.

Sakayanagi walked up to the stage, placed her hands on the piano.

The moving sound rang out.

It is a popular song dedicated to Alice.

The piece ”To Elise” tells the story of a female student named Therese Malfatti whom Beethoven, who was nearly 40 years old, taught between 1808 and 1810.

He developed a liking for her and once, in a very happy mood, he wrote a little piece ”Bagatel in A minor” for her and inscribed ”To Therese” on the score.

Later, this song was discovered and Therese’s name was copied incorrectly, so it became dedicated to Alice.

Then it didn’t change.

But this has become a love song that has been passed down through ages.

Sakayanagi said that she only practiced for two and a half weeks, and then presented it to Alice, which was indeed used as a learning piece for beginners.

So there shouldn’t be any other meaning.

Hikigaya-kun thus enjoyed a great treat for his ears.

After performance is over. I see that Hikigaya-kun has left.

Sakayanagi called her dog over, “Did Hikigaya-kun say anything just now?”

“He thinks girls with a special skill are unique.” Kamuro-san said honestly.

“Hmph.” Although Sakayanagi-san twisted her lips, it was obvious that she was in a good mood.

“So, are you deliberately showing off your talents in front of him?”

As Sakayanagi’s dog, she knew that owner had a girlish crush on Hikigaya Hachiman.

’So I wonder if her previous action was an active attack on her part.’

“But isn’t this a piece of cake? Your progress is too slow.....”

“You don’t understand, Kamuro-san. Suddenly discovering the brilliant side of someone you spend every day with can make your heart ripple.”

’So that’s it. By the way, aren’t these romantic plots from the romance novel you recently asked me to borrow?’

Kamuro-san feels that Sakayanagi doesn’t understand love at all.

’Someone like Hikigaya cannot be conquered by a step-by-step approach. If it were me, I would have gone straight for it!’

xxxxx

Other side.

’I unexpectedly find girls who can play the piano very attractive.’ Hikigaya-kun is thinking about Sakayanagi in his mind.

Then a little bit of motivation.

Want to learn piano.

’Sakayanagi is very cute, but she doesn’t seem to have enough energy, so I can’t make things difficult for her.’

However, that doesn’t mean there is no solution.

Because if we just talk about playing the piano, he thinks there is another person who is also very good at it.

Sakayanagi’s hands are small and cute.

However, when it comes to playing the piano, girls with long and slender fingers are more suitable.

There happened to be this type among the girls he knew.

“Can you play the piano?” Hachiman sent a message. ’Then I felt that it was a bit presumptuous, so I added more information.’

[I want to learn.]

[……] by Yukinoshita Yukino.

In fact, she didn’t have much experience with mobile phones in the past. She thought that sending and receiving was just enough.

But after arriving at this school, mobile phones became very important, and they even served as a tool for school to notify students of information during exams several times.

So she also became addicted to her mobile phone.

And now, received a message from Hikigaya-senpai.

And if she understood the message correctly, other party wanted her to teach.

Yukino learned piano and other musical instruments because she admired her older sister, and when she was a child she always wanted to learn what her sister knew.

She played in a band for a while in high school, so Yukino also has experience learning musical instruments.

’Do I want to teach someone with no basic knowledge to play the piano?’

Yukino originally wanted to refuse directly, but suddenly she thought of arranging for students to take advantage of the time on ship to contact senior students to get information from them.

Learn....There are various special exams in school. All kinds of weird.

Sometimes, only tactfulness is tested instead of strength.

Then artistic skills may come in handy and be included in the exam.

[If you want to learn, it’s not impossible.]

Yukinoshita began to adapt to the local customs.

[But the price is that if I encounter an exam related to this, and you are a senior student and it doesn’t conflict with us, you have to assist me.]

[For example, if our class needs to perform a project, you can come and help.]

’In other words, if you help me, I need to help too. But maybe I can learn an extra skill? Then it’s worth it!’ Hikigaya’s goal is to become a househusband.

’But I also hope to improve myself. After all, if you are just staying at home and not working, you should at least make yourself shine so that people who support you will have the motivation to work.’

So, when he saw Sakayanagi shining on the stage, had an idea of improving himself.

Who doesn’t want to be sparkly?

xxxxx

The facilities on the ship are very complete and also cater to students who want to study art.

So Hikigaya-kun borrowed the piano next day.

Then, under the guidance of junior schoolmate Yukinoshita, began to increase his value little by little.

“It’s already somewhat presentable. But the talent is not very high. It’s just that on piano, basically there won’t be many requirements. Pianists only ask you to find the right rhythm according to beat.”

Teacher Yukinoshita is quite demanding.

What she said made people feel that she might not have many friends now.

It’s often just some words that friends say.

But Hikigaya-kun is on par with her.

Before entering school, he didn’t have any friends either. ’In the busy time of perfecting myself, schedule of vacation is shortened day by day.’

The day to go back to school is approaching.

xxxxxx

Other side.

“....” Sakayanagi, who can play the piano, is sitting in cafe on second floor.

“He’s not here yet.” Kamuro-san gave her some bad news as usual.

“Yeah....” Arisu nodded in a daze, feeling confused, plus absent minded.

’Hikigaya-kun is really not easy to conquer. I thought that if he saw me shining like this, he might be shaken and take the initiative to get closer to me, but it didn’t happen. I didn’t see the other person for five days. And then I even went back to school!’

xxxxx

June 5th.

All students ended their two-week vacation on luxury ship and returned to High School.

And because returned to school on Friday, was able to enjoy two days of vacation for free.

But today is the day when you have to go to classroom and study normally.

“Yeah, I haven’t bunked class for a long time. I actually miss doing it....”

“No way, I clearly felt overwhelmed when I saw the book before!”

“You guys are disgusting. I occasionally think studying is good!”

One student paused, then laughed, “I feel very relieved for not making friends with you! haha~”

Very reassuring.

Because there is no special exam this month, according to rules of the last uninhabited island exam, it is two consecutive months.

Then on the 1st, all students received living expenses.

Even Hikigaya received 82,500 personal points. Of course, this is just official.

At end of half an hour, Hikigaya’s bill was updated.

He obtained 1.2 million personal points from 2nd-year Class A, 200,000 personal points from Ichinose, and then... he obtained another 887,200 personal points from his own second-year Class D.

This means that Hikigaya-kun can earn 2.28 million personal points for free every month without doing anything!

What a good day it is!

This really makes people feel good.

Hachiman has now walked out of the dormitory and started heading towards the teaching building.

’Just when I was passing by a small platform with steps, I was suddenly stopped by someone To be precise, the other party did not speak, but just stood there quietly, and people around her subconsciously avoided....’

Cold Tsundere!

When Hachiman looked at other person, these 2 words appeared in his mind.

Only knew two people who could be addressed like that.

One of them is Horikita-san, and the other is Yukinoshita.

Both of them are very good-looking and behave in a rather cool manner.

But Suzune has already gone to the classroom, so the only person who appears here now can be Yukinoshita.

Although he called her a junior, Hachiman discovered that she should have already learned first-grade content because he saw her reading second-grade textbooks borrowed from the library several times.

Horikita Suzune is a nerd who is devoted to studying, but she is so much exaggerated, that she doesn’t feel it is worthless even if she spends a lot of time on it.

The reason she borrowed books for higher grades was because she had already taught herself the content she needed for class, so her progress could be improved.

And Yukinoshita, as a first-year student, is now also borrowing 2nd-year books.

But Hachiman doesn’t think that Yukinoshita is also someone who is only focused on studying.

The reason was that he often saw her reading some cat-related books.

It may be that Title of the book is related to cats, or it may be that content is about how to scratch properly, and get some purrs.

What to feed etc.

She even borrowed all cat-related comic books. A real cat lover.

Therefore, reason why she is studying a second-grade book...is probably not like Horikita, who has reached a certain level in her studies and then needs to borrow textbooks that have not been distributed yet.

In other words, Yukinoshita actually has... some problems?

However, Hikigaya is used to seeing problem children, and his emotions have stabilized now.

Rather, it would be difficult to use if the other party had absolutely no problems.



Now, Yukinoshita is standing on the steps with her schoolbag on one hand.

The breeze blows over, making it impossible to take your eyes off her.

Hachiman even boldly thought other party might be waiting for him.

xxxxxx

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