Normality in COTE

When the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day, Sae Chabashira gathered her things, preparing to leave the classroom without delay.

Just as she was about to step out, Hirata Yosuke intercepted her, his expression troubled, as if he had some lingering doubt gnawing at him.

Sae took one look at him, raising an eyebrow.

For a fleeting moment, she wondered if this boy had finally gained a semblance of enlightenment, perhaps finally seeing the reality of their competitive school environment.

But when he spoke, her brief glimmer of expectation was abruptly shattered, leaving her with nothing but massive disappointment.

"Chabashira-sensei, how should we go about selecting a Class Representative?" he asked, his voice polite and respectful, yet oblivious to her weariness.

"You can choose one yourselves," she replied flatly.

Without waiting for further questions, she turned and excused herself, eager to abandon the classroom to its impending doom and let the students handle the bickering that was sure to follow.

As expected, no sooner had she left than the classroom erupted into a lively discussion.

Hirata cleared his throat, trying to bring some order back into the room before speaking again.

"Alright, everyone. You all heard the teacher, right? We're allowed to select our Class Leader ourselves. So, who do you think would be the most suitable candidate?"

"I nominate Kushida!" several of the boys immediately chimed in, clearly captivated by her charm and beauty.

"No, I think Hirata should be the Class Representative—he's more reliable," one of the girls argued, her voice rising above the others, determined not to let the boys' enthusiasm sway the decision.

The girls rallied behind her, their voices joining the fray as the room divided into factions, neither side willing to back down.

Meanwhile, Sudou yawned loudly, clearly unimpressed by the growing commotion around him.

"Ugh, you're all so noisy! Just shut up and leave me out of this, you wretches!" He stood up from his seat, rolling his eyes with annoyance and preparing to leave the classroom entirely, as though the whole matter was beneath him.

Seeing this, Hirata approached him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder in an attempt to stop him. "Sudou-san—"

But Sudou abruptly slapped his hand away, fixing Hirata with a menacing glare.

"Mind your own business," he replied, his tone dripping with irritation and warning.

The intimidation worked wonders, and Hirata instinctively backed down, his gaze dropping as he could only watch in silence as Sudou stormed out of the room.

The sight of Hirata's downcast expression seemed to stir something within the rest of the class, who suddenly found themselves feeling a sense of sympathy for him.

Gradually, voices began to murmur in favor of his nomination, and before long, the votes overwhelmingly leaned in Hirata's favor.

In the end, he was chosen as the representative of Class D.

Once the decision was made, most of the classmates didn't linger in the room.

They quickly filed out, some leaving in pairs, while others drifted off in groups.

Hirata, who was swept along with the crowd, found himself being dragged out, especially by the group of gyarus led by none other than Karuizawa Kei.

YamaGod watched all this with utter indifference.

Unlike his classmates, who scrambled to leave the classroom as soon as the bell rang, he was calm, unhurried, and clearly unfazed by the bustle around him.

His demeanor was self-assured, his movements relaxed, and his expression bored, almost as if he found the whole routine tiresome.

Eventually, his gaze shifted toward Haruka Hasebe. The sight of her was an intoxicating one. She was stunningly beautiful, almost distractingly so, with an allure enhanced by her large, generous bust.

If she ever felt inclined to, she could captivate the attention of everyone in class and skyrocket to popularity in an instant.

Yet, instead of mingling with the other students, she stayed back, standing apart from the crowd and staying close to him, as though preferring his company to the rest of the class.

It was something he admired about her; she didn't care about fitting in, just like he didn't.

"Not planning on leaving with them, Haruka?" he asked, his voice laced with a chuckle. "I wouldn't want you to miss out on whatever 'fun' they're having."

Haruka Hasebe glanced at him and shrugged, her demeanor nonchalant.

"I prefer keeping myself company, Yamauchi-kun," she replied, her voice calm yet firm.

YamaGod nodded, a smirk curling at his lips. "Well, at least you're wise enough to know that being true to yourself is better than pretending to fit into the crowd. It's nice to see someone who's comfortable in their own skin."

Haruka's lips quirked upward at his compliment.

"I suppose I know how to choose my company carefully." Her eyes sparkled with a playful glint as she noted his amused expression.

YamaGod leaned in slightly, his smirk deepening.

"At least you have good taste in men," he teased, his voice dropping to a confident drawl that made the air between them feel electrified.

Anyone who overheard his words would instantly understand the implication, and Haruka Hasebe wasn't dense.

She got it loud and clear, and the way he so brazenly implied her high standards, including the fact that she chose to stay near him, made her pout slightly before she released a soft laugh.

"Narcissistic much," she murmured, but there was no bite to her tone—just amusement.

She knew precisely what he was hinting at: his own appeal and her 'choice' to stay by his side, almost as if he were suggesting that her presence was a silent acknowledgment of his unique charm.

In truth, he was being a bit narcissistic, but his confidence came across as funny rather than overbearing.

Unlike most people, who simply seemed arrogant, YamaGod made it charming somehow.

She found herself wondering how he pulled it off, how he managed to make arrogance so likable.

"So, Yamauchi-kun…" she began, her curiosity piqued.

She was on the verge of asking him how he managed to strike that perfect balance—how he could be so effortlessly cool and make every interaction feel like a private joke between friends.

But just as she was about to voice her question, they were interrupted.

Kikyo Kushida had arrived, her presence like a delicate but deliberate whirlwind.

"Yamauchi-kun, could I have a moment of your time? Handsome, please?" she asked, her tone dripping with sweetness, her eyes wide and pitiable in that way only Kushida could pull off, a master at playing the charming damsel.

Haruka instantly shut her mouth, sulking a little as her chance to dive deeper into YamaGod's mystery slipped away.

YamaGod noticed her reaction and couldn't help but find it amusing.

He cast a sideways glance at Haruka before turning back to Kushida, his smirk remaining ever present.

"You know," he said to Kushida, his voice taking on a teasing edge, "you don't have to be so formal. Haruka here is a friend, and there's no need to talk behind her back."

At the mention of 'talk behind her back,' Kushida's cheerful expression darkened, if only for a split second.

The idea of making enemies or alienating others was certainly not part of her agenda.

She wanted everyone to like her, to befriend her, and having Haruka feel isolated or slighted was definitely not something she intended.

Her practiced, cheerful mask snapped back into place swiftly, but not without YamaGod noticing, his keen eye picking up the momentary flicker of unease.

Haruka, though mostly oblivious to Kushida's fleeting discomfort, was touched by YamaGod's acknowledgment.

He defended her presence even in such a small way, and it warmed her more than she cared to admit.

"It's not like that at all, Yamauchi-kun," Kushida quickly corrected herself, her voice laced with an eagerness to please. "I just want to befriend everyone in class, you know? That includes both you and Haruka. It's just that I've already talked to Haruka before, and you're the only one I haven't had the pleasure of properly conversing with yet."

Her words flowed with practiced ease, a cheerful façade masking the undercurrent of her desperation to be accepted.

Then she batted her eyelashes, her tone becoming sweet as she added, "So, could I ask for your contact information, handsome? Please?"

YamaGod smirked, leaning back in his seat with an air of arrogance as he replied.

"My number doesn't come cheap, Kushida-chan. How about we play a little game? You wanted my friendship, right? Then let's play. After all, it's normal for friends to have some fun together, isn't it?"

Kikyou Kushida clenched her fists, barely holding back the urge to punch this smug bastard right in his smug face!

What the hell did he mean by wasting her time here?

Was it so hard to just give her his damn number and be done with it?

She had plans, damn it!

She was supposed to be going to karaoke with her new friend soon!

"Y-you're right, Yamauchi-kun, but I already have plans with Kei to go to karaoke together," she managed, forcing a smile.

"Then go with her." YamaGod waved dismissively, as if she were just a minor inconvenience in his day. "We can play the game when you're free, Kushida-chan."

Kushida managed—somehow—to maintain her smile, her jaw practically aching from the effort. It was a miracle she didn't snap.

With a sickly-sweet farewell, she finally turned to leave, all while Haruka Hasebe observed the exchange with eyes wide, as if she couldn't believe what she had just witnessed.

"Is that really okay, Yamauchi-kun?" Haruka asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Why did you treat her like that?"

"She interrupted our date, Haruka. A little punishment was necessary," YamaGod chuckled, his voice dripping with self-satisfaction.

"Date? A-a date?" Haruka murmured, flustered. "You're joking, right, Yamauchi-kun?"

"All you need to know is that I enjoyed our time together, Haruka," he replied smoothly. "It's rude for someone else to barge in on that, don't you think?"

"You're such a charmer, Yamauchi-kun," Haruka teased, a smirk playing on her lips. "How many girls have you seduced with those lines?"

"I don't know. Probably only you," he answered.

Haruka flushed, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

"Anyway… thanks, Yamauchi-kun," she murmured, her cheeks rosy as she finally managed to get the words out.

YamaGod nodded calmly, saying nothing, allowing her to bask in the silence while he remained seated beside her.

He lingered in the classroom with her for a while, letting the moment settle before he eventually stood up and made his exit, leaving Haruka lost in thought.