COTE: Ayanokoji Socially Capable

V2 Chapter 8: Cruise & Feelings Pt.2

I managed to reconcile things with Sō and had a great dinner with them. As we walked back to Chiaki's room, the evening breeze felt refreshing against our skin. The ship was quieter now, with many students already retiring to their rooms in anticipation of curfew. As we strolled along the deserted corridors, Chiaki's laughter filled the air, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"I had such a wonderful time tonight," Chiaki exclaimed, her voice laced with happiness. "Thank you for being such great company, Kiyotaka-kun."

"It was my pleasure," I replied, "I'm glad we could spend this time together."

Chiaki paused, her gaze meeting mine with a soft, affectionate expression. "You know, Kiyotaka-kun, I feel really lucky to have met you."

Her words sent that same strange feeling through my chest, and I found myself captivated by her sincerity. "The feeling is mutual, Chiaki," I admitted, feeling a rush of courage.

"Yeah, me too," she said, her gaze drifting out to the moonlit sea. "It was nice to talk and unwind after everything that's been happening."

I nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of peace settle over me.

As we reached her door, Chiaki turned to face me, her eyes shining with emotion. "I hope we can do this again sometime."

"I would like that," I replied, unable to resist the urge to reach out and gently brush a stray lock of hair from her face. "Goodnight, Chiaki"

"Goodnight, Kiyotaka-kun," she whispered, her smile radiant as she disappeared into her room, leaving me with a lingering sense of warmth and longing. I watched as she disappeared into her room before turning to head back to my own. Tonight had been unexpectedly pleasant, and I found myself looking forward to more moments like this in the future.

As I reflected on the evening's events while making my way back to my own room, I couldn't shake the sense of familiarity I felt around Chiaki. It's like she reminded me of someone. But that's impossible there was no one else with me. There was something about her presence that resonated with me on a deeper level, something genuine and comforting.

But amidst the warmth of our budding friendship, I couldn't ignore the looming threat of Ryuen's plans. The thought of Chiaki being expelled was something I knew I couldn't stand idly by and let happen.

That's why I've decided to intervene, albeit subtly, in Ryuen's schemes. Utilizing Ryuji and Honami as strategic cover, I'll work behind the scenes to ensure Chiaki's protection

I reached my room, I was stationed in a room filled with 4 beds and 1 bathroom in one room. My roommates are Norihito, Moriyama, and Bakugo. Quite the cast if I do say so myself. Moriyama was a classmate that I hardly interacted with

As I entered our shared room, I was greeted by the familiar sight of Norihito and Bakugo engrossed in a heated discussion about the latest manga chapter. They barely noticed my arrival, so I turned my attention to Moriyama.

"...And then, out of nowhere, the main character pulls off this insane power-up move!" Norihito exclaimed, his eyes shining with enthusiasm.

Bakugo leaned forward, his expression intense. "Yeah, but do you think it was too convenient? It felt like the author was just trying to rush things along," he retorted, his voice edged with skepticism.

Norihito shook his head vehemently. "No way! If you look back at the foreshadowing in previous chapters, you'll see that it was actually hinted at all along."

Bakugo scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Quit being such a loser fanboy! The author's just throwing in random power-ups to please stupid readers like you."

Norihito's expression hardened, and he shot back, "Hey, watch your mouth! Just because you don't appreciate good storytelling doesn't mean you have to ruin it for everyone else."