COTE: Koenji What if

Vol. 2 Chapter 1.2 - Trauma

Logically speaking there is no way I couldn't include her on that list. But that doesn't mean that things can't change in the future in regards to the necessity of a student.

I walked up to Hirata after putting away my phone.

...

"Hey Hirata, do you want to grab some ice cream?"

"Sure. It isn't normal for you to call me out like this, but I definetely do not mind it either," Hirata said with a smile.

We then walked to the same ice cream shop that I have went to with Sudou and Albert. We waited for the ice cream to be served. Hmm, this time I will try mint chocolate chip. It looks like Hirata chose chocolate ice cream.

"You know, Ayanokouji, I didn't think you were ever going to post on your social media even after Satou pleading for you to do so."

"Really? Well I was hesitant at first. There didn't seem to be that perfect moment to post, until now."

"Well you do seem to have a nice friend group, I am glad to see you enjoy yourself. Especially since you are still wearing the sunglasses," Hirata commented.

"Wait, I am? Huh, I guess I got used to these shades already," I said.

After we received our cones, we exited the ice cream shop. I decided to put away the shades as well for now. It isn't like the weather is sunny at the moment.

"Hirata. Do you want to take a seat on this bench here?" I said.

"Sure. Also, it looks like you are a bit tired. Did you not get much sleep?"

"Oh yeah, there was just something that I was researching on." I replied.

Anyways, this time, I will not bite into the ice cream. Never making that mistake again.

...Ew, this tastes terrible. Disgusting. Vile.

"Ayanokouji, do you not like that flavor of ice cream?" Hirata asked. It looked like the ice cream must have passed through my usual poker face.

"...yeah, this doesn't taste too good. But it is worth a shot. I do have a favorite type of ice cream, but I also want to try different flavors. Even the supposedly bad ones," I said.

"But why would you try the ones that might be bad?" Hirata asked.

"Well, even though it isn't a 100% success that I will enjoy it, at least I would be able to truly enjoy the times where I do get an ice cream that does taste good."

"I see. That is certainly a good mindset to have. Looks like you are quite the ice cream connoisseur" Hirata laughed.

...

"Do you think that even the worst person that you know of can change?" I asked.

"...Yes. The worst person that I have seen in my life is myself. Or at least I thought that was the case until what I heard about regarding Kushida. But I can't really make much judgement about that unfortunately, so I am not really sure anymore." Hirata replied.

"You consider your past self to be worse than those bullies?"

"Yes I do."

"I see. Sorry for the sudden shift in the seriousness of this conversation."

"I guess it was inevitable considering all that has gone down so far."

He really does seem to put everyone else above himself. Or perhaps he did something objectively worse than what the bullies did, and he is unable to lie about that to himself. Or he is just lying outright.