COTE: A Mute Guy

Vol. 4 Chp. 3: Planning

Yukimura sighed and muttered, "I think I made a mistake putting my faith in you."

~Timeskip~

Class A (B) wanted to stay silent.

"So for now, since it's the second gathering for us like this, I think we should get down to business as soon as possible since the number of times we gather like this is limited," Ichinose said.

"I want to show my email to you," Yukimura said.

Yukimura took out his phone and showed his email, saying he wasn't the VIP.

"Alright, it's clear that Yukimura-kun isn't the VIP, but it doesn't prove that Kagurazaka is. Karuizawa-san and Sotomura-kun haven't shown us their emails," Machida said.

"Sotomura and Karuizawa have the choice to show their emails," Yukimura adjusted his glasses.

Sotomura seemed hesitant about showing his email, while Karuizawa refused.

Suddenly, my phone started buzzing. The caller ID was 'Ichinose Honami.'

I canceled the call.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to distrust you, but I wanted to make sure," Ichinose apologized.

'You thought we traded phones because I admitted being the VIP, right?'

Ichinose nodded.

She thought she was up to something, which was a reasonable assumption.

"I don't think it's terrible to accept the Outcome 1. If we have half the group intent on achieving it, there's not much we can do about it," Hamaguchi said.

"You guys are free to do whatever you want, but you're unlikely to find the "target" this way. I don't believe Kagurazaka-kun is the VIP," Machida said.

The discussion wasn't going any further from here.

~Timeskip~

I met with Manabe because she wanted to talk to me about something, "I'll get straight to the point. What happened between Karuizawa-san and Rika-san?"

I wrote down the encounter in my notebook and gave it to her. I watched her eyes move while she read it. She tightly gripped my notebook, and I thought she would rip it in half.

"That bitch..." Manabe muttered.

She handed my notebook back to me, and I could see the rage in her eyes burning with passion.

"Your story matches up with Rika-san's own," Manabe said.

I took my notebook, 'Did you not believe Morofuji?'

"I do believe Rika. I needed to confirm your story matched her," Manabe stated.

"Oh my, is the cold-hearted Queen having a secret rendezvous with the handsome mute?" I whipped my head around and saw Yamashita with a smug smile.

Manabe gritted teeth, looking ready to hit Yamashita over the head, "This isn't a secret rendezvous."

"Nanami-san, do you think they were secretly kissing?" Yamashita teased.

I couldn't tell if Manabe's face was red from embarrassment or anger, but she started storming toward Yamashita.

"Run away!" Yamashita playfully said as she bolted.

Manabe chased after her, leaving me alone with Yabu.

Yabu giggled, "This is a frequent thing. I will see you at the next discussion."

Yabu walked away.

~Timeskip~

Once I got back to my room, it was already late. Hirata was staring at me anxiously. Yukimura, too, was sitting on the sofa installed in our room.