COTE: The Aftermath

Determined Puppy

"Well, you're right, but-!" She took a look at my gaze before sighing. "Alright..." While opening the door, stealthily looking around before gesturing for her to come. 

...

We arrived safely at my dorm. Nanase entered with a sudden grim expression on her face, taking a look around. She suddenly asked a peculiar question. "Say, does the white remind you of anything?" 

The white? The only thing that comes to mind is the white room, there's no way... I mustn't take that to account, I'm sure it's simply a question. Yes... there's no way 'he' would reveal his white room just like that.

After a few seconds, Nanase's grim expression worsened. "Actually, just ignore my question... okay?" There's no doubt about it.

She knows something, and I needed to interrogate her. I suddenly took a step forward and extended my hand swiftly.

She reacted, but her body was too slow. I pushed her a bit while her back collided with the wall, I immediately took advantage of this and immediately slammed my palm on the wall beside her staring at her eyes. 

I pinned her to the wall successfully. 

Horror soon filled her eyes while staring at my gaze, my sharp gaze seemed like it was about to pierce her eyes.

"Does the word... "white room" ring any bell to you?" Asking her a question, she could only gulp before having a determined look on her face. With no hesitation at all...

"Yes." She replied. "Senpai, on your time there, haven't the thought of being lonely came to your head?" 

Lonely? I thought about it for a second, but the thought of being lonely had never existed in my mind before, not until now. Being lonely doesn't matter. 

All are hindrances, just like those who knows about something that they shouldn't know.

"Don't you feel lonely?" She asked another question while my eyes softened, I only moved away from her freeing her from my clutches while I only looked at the ground. 

"Being lonely doesn't matte-" I was cut off by Nanase. 

"It does!" 

Surprise wasn't evident on my face, but I sure was feeling surprised, I started to glare at her but it seemed like she still had that determined look on her face. 

"Why won't you understand that what you went through there wasn't okay!" Nanase exclaimed while approaching me, I didn't move I only glared at her. 

"I've already accepted that I don't need anybody to survi-" Once more I was cut off, can you at least let me finish my sentence? 

"But you aren't in that place anymore, are you? Enduring and accepting are two things, you don't have to fight against yourself anymore." Her words, definitely felt like she knew me more than anybody else.

I can only look at the ground, even so... even so... what? I can't reply to that, all of her sentences made sense. I can't argue back, I'm totally on the corner aren't I? Maybe this was my weakness after all.

"Say... What do you see on me?"

"All I see, is you... Senpai." 

"I expected that reply." 

"?"

I could only sigh knowing that nobody will ever tell me what do they see on me. What do they see on the eyes that I possess? 

"I have another question." I only sat on the bed with a soft expression on my face.

"Yes?" She asked with her soft voice, that seemed to somehow... make me feel at ease. 

"Do you believe in gravity?" 

"Umm...?" 

"Ignore it." 

I wonder why do I ask those, if somebody were to heard the word gravity, I'm sure that they would only think about the fact of the universe and not the thought I have in my head.

"Senpai, from now, you aren't alone. If you have any troubles, feel free to call me." Nanase said with a bright smile on her face, a smile a person like me doesn't deserve.

I'm a horrible human being... truly. Why do you feel so much pity for someone that only sees you as a tool? I don't even see you as human... 

I don't deserve this do I?

"Senpai, by that gravity question... did you mean something behind it?" Nanase asked while tilting her head a bit.

I turned my head at her. My expressionless remains unchanging. "Who knows?" I gave an answer.

"Too vague..." She muttered something but unfortunately, I heard it.

...

Maybe I do care for people... 

___

Oh no Kiyo is slowly turning into a tsundere!!

Anyways, I think Nanase would be the type to suddenly stand up for herself when it's these type of situation. 

Plus her transition to being Kiyo's puppy is going fast don't you think?