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

Few minutes later, Hikigaya-kun saw her fall where she stood.

”...Your bindings are terrible.”

Hikigaya-kun walked over. At the same time, he felt lucky that Sakayanagi didn’t come.

”...No, it’s okay.”

Then, under Hikigaya’s surprised gaze, she untied her ski boots and bindings, and then sat down obediently on a rest chair at the side.

”Don’t you want to play anymore?”

”Ah...Oh...I don’t know?”

”.....” Hikigaya-kun. ’I always feel this classmate from some kind of mountain village is a little weird....’

However, he still followed Albert to the ski track, even noticed that boy seemed a little coy.

This is a rather strange behavior.

Albert was Ryuen’s follower.

According to Ryuen, he failed in his violent attack on Albert, but he did not give up.

Instead, he continued to harass Albert in various states. Finally, he found that Ryuen was going to attack Albert even when he was in the toilet, so Albert surrendered.

”You go find Ryuen.”

”Yes!” Albert immediately walked towards the direction of Ryuen.

’It seems that not only is he worried about Ryuen’s harassing, but Albert is used to serving him. Habits are terrible things.....’ Hikigaya-kun thought to himself.

”Hey! Hikigaya!”

Watanabe and Shiranami, who had gone to intermediate area earlier, came back at this time.

”Can I talk to you for a moment?”

Feeling that other person’s expression seemed a little serious, Hikigaya-kun nodded.

Then, in the corner, Hachiman heard Watanabe’s voice, ”I heard from Shiranami-san that you once confessed to Ichinose-san. Is this feeling still there?”

”I think it can develop further.” As he said this, Watanabe looked at Shiranami who was standing in the distance.

Then he continued to talk shit without using honorifics, ”Ichinose has been going to boys’ floor quite often lately. Although sometimes she goes to visit you, Hikigaya. There’s nothing to say about that. Some students in class speculated that Ichinose seemed to be dating you.”

”But sometimes she was seen waiting at the boys’ staircase even though you were clearly in the dormitory. No one knew who she was waiting for.”

”That means we misunderstood. The nasty boy who asked her to go to the boys’ dormitory on tweekend was not you.”

”We all don’t want her to go astray. It’s all our fault. We put too much pressure on her. We’re worried that she’s been cheated by a scumbag, because it’s impossible to go to boys’ dormitory every weekend.”

”So, Hikigaya, even though you’re dating Horikita now, if you still like Ichinose, you can win her heart back and never give it to a scumbag.”

’Um...? Ah? So, what’s this guy on about....’ Hikigaya-kun feels very confused. ’Watanabe, are you really awake? Do you really know what strange things you are saying?’

”Are you saying that you think Ichinose has been deceived by a scumbag, and that you want me, who already has a girlfriend, to approach Ichinose?” Hikigaya-kun repeated Watanabe’s thoughts just to confirm.

At the same time, it is also reminding other party that what you said, young man, is shocking.

However, Watanabe nodded with a straight face, ”First of all, I don’t think Hikigaya’s current situation is a good match. But that’s better than scumbag who goes out of his way to let Ichinose pass every week.”

In other words, Watanabe has also given it some careful thought.

”.....” Hachiman. ”Let me ask again, you witnessed Ichinose Honami waiting in stairwell several times?”

”Yes, we avoided her after we found out. We didn’t want her to find out because we were afraid she would be embarrassed.”

In other words, before coming to Hikigaya’s room, Ichinose actually went to stairwell when she noticed that there were students around.

Eh....

Hikigaya-kun actually already knew about this from Amasawa. Sometimes she would come early and stay in Kushida’s room.

’If Kushida was not in the dormitory, she would have to stay in stairwell. Is Ichinose also doing same thing? As expected, it’s better not to do things like asking others to clean your room.’

But if he completely rejected her, it might hurt her. Ichinose had been relying on him a little too much recently.

”….”

In other words, Hachiman has to come up with a way to have the best of both worlds.

Ichinose would consider other people’s eyes and come to him, and her hiding methods are not as good as Amasawa’s.

But can’t let her not come.

There is only one situation that can satisfy both of them at same time...

”I think you think too highly of me. I’m not sure I can have the best of both worlds.”

Although he has signed a marriage agreement with Ichinose, he is not sure whether he will marry her in the end, so Hachiman will still protect her image.

”Also, if you think that Ichinose’s going to boys’ room at a set time every week means she’s met a scumbag, then don’t worry. Actually, that person is me.”

”Huh?” This made Watanabe push his glasses up in surprise.

”Because of the rumor about Ichinose last year, she was grateful to me, so I asked her to help clean the room.”

Everyone remembers this.

Although Hikigaya left class group after Ichinose’s problem was resolved, everyone was still very grateful to him at the time.

Otherwise, Archangel Ichinose will have to drop out of school. She is the cohesive force of class. If she drops out, who knows what will become.

Although Kanzaki is also working hard to carry banner of the class, according to his utilitarian performance in the special exam.

Class competition may become much more brutal under his leadership.

Therefore, some classmates who are not active or outstanding enough may be easily expelled from school.

No one wants to see this kind of thing.

Watanabe’s ability is average, and his academic ability can only get B level, but he also prefers the atmosphere of working hard together in current class.

”Ichinose-san’s family isn’t well off either. I don’t like doing housework, so I asked her to help. But I’m usually worried about affecting her studies, so I usually ask her to come over on weekends....Then I will pay her some money. I have bought out school’s rights to exchange cash in advance, so I can also help send her salary out of school.”

Hachiman knew if he didn’t say it, people like this guy here would definitely not keep his mouth shut.

I see. Watanabe nodded. At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief.

”So Ichinose isn’t actually dating an unreliable guy, but is just working a part-time job?”

”That’s understandable.” Hachiman noticed that Shiranami was also walking towards him, so he raised his voice a little, ”After all, Ichinose also thinks that studying is the most important thing during school. So, even if you like her, you should respect her wishes, right?”

”So, that’s how it is.” Chihiro-chan also came over with a nod.

’So you were eavesdropping just now, right? However, once this kind of talk gets out, Ichinose won’t have to hide in the stairwell anymore. You can just use excuse of helping to clean, use room card openly, and then go to dormitory.....Plus reassure Ichinose’s classmates that she was not deceived by some scumbag....Right.’

Hachiman suddenly realized that dating everyone’s idol angel was a very difficult thing.

He would be stared at by many people.

Compared to Ichinose, Kushida-chan is more relaxed. She always comes at 4 or 5 in the morning, and it is difficult to be seen at this time.

”Boss Boss! Things have gone bad.”

Speak of Kikyo and she will appear.

However, she was actually jogging towards him at a high speed.

”What’s wrong with you now?”

”Hey....! Never mind. It seems that Yamamura-san took the cable car to advanced ski area. But didn’t she stay in beginner lesson with you before?”

’In other words, are you worried about condition of Yamamura? Actually, this is a bit strange. Because it seemed that Yamamura was also skiing for the first time, and she even fell on flat ground. So how could she dare to go to higher-level area in such a state? People of Class A are really weirdos...’

”Kushida and I are going to go out for a while.”

xxxxxx

Author’s Note

If you want to Read 45+ Advanced Chapters ahead of everyone. Support this novel, join me on Patreon!

Link - patreon.com/CoteLover

We have a stockpile upto Chapter 1000 for you to binge-read! 🥳

Final exam of 3rd year Hikigaya vs Ryuen vs Sakayanagi vs Ichinose, if you’d like to Read now! 🍼