cote react to

part 10

"Do you like Kushida-san, Ayanokoji-kun?" Matsushita sneered at him.

"Rather, I admire her, I guess" Ayanokoji said after thinking.

"Heh? So you don't like him romantically?" Matsushita pushed further.

Ayanokoji stared at her, wondering what her goal was in insisting on her relationship with Kushida. "No. I don't like her that way. Or anyone else."Matsushita stopped asking questions after that.

"This is the first time we've met on a day off. It's refreshing."

Kushida laughed, perhaps because she felt the same way. What the hell was with that cute smile? Something so adorable was against the rules. Perhaps Ike and the others hadn't seen this before. Did that make me happier than everyone? I had to contain my excitement in front of her. Kushida spoke, as if she had just remembered something.

"Weren't you too busy during your downtime last week? I'm glad you came despite that, Ayanokouji-kun."

Last week? Am I really glad I came despite that? What the hell was she talking about?

"I'm talking about Ike-kun and the others going to that cafe, of course."

This was the first time I heard about it. He did not remember any previous occult events.

Ike and the others lowered their heads in shame for not inviting Ayanokoji.

"I'm sorry, Ayanokoji, if we didn't ask you out." Ike apologized.

"Yeah, we thought you were busy with the Ken case and all." Yamauchi scratched his head sheepishly.

"Alright." Ayanokoji accepted his apology.

"By any chance…" Kushida began.

"A-ah. That's it. Now that you mention it, I... I haven't heard of that."

I looked at the sky and lamented my uselessness. It's not like Ike and the others were mean for not inviting me. I was the bad guy, the one who hadn't been invited.

"I didn't mean anything... I'm sorry, I think I said something wrong..."

"Don't worry about it. I really don't care. Was it fun?"

“You seem to care…”

If he handled this wrong, instead of being the happiest he'd ever been with Kushida, it would be the worst. Even if it was just for a moment, spending time alone with her made me feel like the luckiest guy. The students who passed us from time to time took a look at Kushida in her casual clothes. In the case of passing couples, the bride would appear upset and grab her groom by the cheek. Even though I was the one with Kushida, I couldn't help but be charmed by her cuteness.

What the hell? He was really flattering Kushida a lot. What he had said had been completely true, but there was also a hint of shyness about it.

"What's happening?"

Kushida froze, which I found strange. Every move he made, or failed to make, was cute.

"For the guy who didn't like her in that way, you seemed to be flattering her every second you could." Horikita remarked.

At her comment, many boys and girls looked at Kushida to see her reaction to the possibility of Ayanokoji liking her romantically. Unfortunately for them, she remained unfazed, her eyes on the screen.

"I was just saying the

true." Ayanokoji replied.

"I think we've had some  weathe rnice lately."