COTE: Reaction

Chap 11: Yuki

"It's like our school, being expelled once you fail an exam..." Ike said. 

One day, when the number of people in the group had already decreased considerably, we had dinner together.

The meal was being served with everyone present. During the meal, the instructor left the table and the children were left alone. However, we've never had a direct conversation.

The whole time, I've only heard their voices through the instructor.

Why don't we talk to each other?

It wasn't forbidden by the instructors.

We just didn't have conversations because there wasn't a need to talk in the first place.

"I-This is too... All the children have the same apathetic faces, like they don't even know emotions..." Hirata muttered, slight anger on his face. 

We knew each other's names through the instructors, we knew how good each one was in their studies, and we knew how athletic each of us was. All of our inner abilities were laid bare.

There was no food that they like or dislike.

The rule of eating only what was served applied to all of the children.

"This place is too cruel..." Horikita murmured. 

several people nodded in agreement. 

In other words, there was no need for dialogue regarding meals.

There was no sense of fellowship among us students.

The others' presence that neither helps nor hinders is just, somehow, no different from the scenery around us.

"I don't like..."

Some people perked up in interest. 

I heard a girl named Yuki, who always sat in front of me, whisper.

It wasn't problematic behavior, since we weren't forbidden to speak during the meal. It was just that no one spoke because no one felt the need to.

This was the first change in the precedent.

I thought she would stop talking because no one responded, but Yuki didn't.

"Do you like it, Kiyotaka?"

She asked me if I liked or disliked the carrots in front of me.

To answer or not to answer.

But to begin with, I've never thought of the concept of liking or disliking carrots.

I only considered them as one of the nutrients that we should consume.

The main nutrient in carrots is Beta-carotene.

It has the ability to change into vitamin A when taken into the body.

It's effective in preventing cellular aging and maintaining healthy skin and mucous membranes. It's also very important for immunity against viruses.

"..."

"She only asked for your opinion..." Miyamoto sighed.

"But this were his thoughts when he was just a five year old? That's... woah," Sudo commented. 

"Fufufu, these are definitely not a normal 5 year old's thoughts," Sakayanagi said. 

"Do you like carrots?"