COTE: Married Couples, but not Lovers

Chapter 1.2: Dark Kushida

Nonetheless, he swiftly regained his composure and released Horikita from his grip, at which point his gaze was focused on me with an irritated expression.

"You... who are you?"

"Ayanokoji-kun?" Horikita uttered, baffled, her eyes bulging upon spotting my presence.

"I'm just a bypassing classmate, nothing more," I added nonchalantly.

"You shouldn't get meddled in other people's business if you're not involved," he warned me, indicating I should leave without further inquiry.

However, I had no intention of opting out of this situation. Not when they have provided me with such favorable cards.

"I didn't plan on getting involved, but when I saw you resorting to violence, I couldn't stand by and do nothing," I explained, brandishing my cell phone as proof.

There was no need for me to throw in another word as he rapidly comprehended what I was trying to impart.

"What do you want?" he queried, slightly gritting his teeth.

What do I want? Honestly, right now, there was not much for me to gain by negotiating with him aside from private points or information about the system, which I was already aware of.

"I don't know," I honestly stated, shrugging my shoulders and continuing, "I suppose I'll just keep this video to myself for—"

Abruptly, he launched an attack on my phone to snatch it away, but I tugged my hand aside quickly and retreated.

He's fast.

"Do you practice anything?" he questioned, masking his surprise at my agility in dodging his attack.

"Piano, and a little calligraphy."

"So, you're that student, huh?" he calmly mused, adjusting his tie and the position of his glasses after.

That student? Was I famous?

"That student?" mumbled Horikita cluelessly.

The tension in the air was getting more uncomfortable than the cold, though I remained oblivious.

"I'd say I'm just a mediocre Class D student."

However, he heeded no more attention to me and turned around to establish eye contact with his sister, who has yet to process everything.

"I'm surprised you made a friend, Suzune."

"He's... not my friend," she claimed, whereupon he heaved a sigh of disappointment.

"As usual, you have mistaken isolation for independence. You still have a lot to learn," he remarked coolly, refusing to elaborate by simply walking away.

The streetlight commenced to flicker in the dominant silence as my gaze wandered to Kushida, who still cowered in the shadows, and Horikita now shivered from the chill of the night. Her skin was covered in goosebumps.

"You practice something, don't you?" she eventually accused once she had somewhat recovered from what just happened.

The softness and vulnerability she had exhibited moments before were substituted by her obstinacy and confidence.

"I said what I said."

"Don't expect me to thank you," she warned me, her scowl deepening as she crossed her arms to ward off the cold.

"There's no need," I said, spinning around to leave.

I didn't do this for her sake anyway. Though, this changes a lot of things.