Kaguya-sama: Love is Cruel (COTE x Kaguya-sama)

Chapter 1.2

Third Person POV

Hm...someone actually stood up.

In the same vehicle, a man eyed the one who stood, before looking away uninterested, for no reason did he need to care for the dispute of an inferior specimen.

In his mind though, there is a more intriguing thought...what if he stands up before her in this situation?

Perhaps things would be different. He would help the old lady sit and get a thank from her. Then he would receive a compliment by that beauty standing there, maybe even getting a phone number from her. And then, he would be greeted with not only his first phone number, but also a newly blossomed friendship with a female friend.

What a fantastic start for his supposedly normal high-school life, right?

But then, not really. He just didn't feel like it at the end.

However, another thought came in his mind though.

'That guy sitting at the back...' he contemplated. 'He is quite lucky with his life, isn't he? Having three beautiful girls sitting besides him.'

Meanwhile, his unholy thought unbeknownst to even the girl sitting besides her, the situation continued to unfold, as Shinomiya walked out to the front.

Sparing no glance towards an insolent pest, she stopped at the front of the elderly.

"May I have the honor to guide you to my seat?" asked Shinomiya, air around her filled with elegance.

And yet, her high status, in and of itself, was sign of danger to the elderly woman.

"T-Thank you, Miss Shinomiya. But I think I can just...stand here, haha." The elderly thanked the Shinomiya. Just the thought of her being helped by one such household is intimating her, so how can she afford the luxury to be guided by someone this affluent? Her pride as an elderly won't allow that, even her back screamed under the intolerable pressure.

"Um...Miss Shinomiya." The girl with the facade spoke her mind, attempting to relieve the pressure.

"I think I can guide her to the seat you lent for this elder. D-Don't get me wrong, what you did is really generous. I mean...I try to do everything I can to help, so at least I can do this one thing right. Would you allow me to-"

"Apology. Did I give permission for you to speak?"

Facing the one individual who's only (acclaimed) to offer help, those words are spoken with smiling eyes.

Gentle, not mixed with a hint of hostility.

Proper, filled with an elegance of a high noble.

Silent, yet enough volume for everyone to overhear.

And still, to almost everyone there, even as the bus's horn was sounding, her voice drummed loud and clear...words that demanded authority.

And for someone with a snake-like nature, Kushida backed away in fear, every fiber of her body tightened like an alarm. She wore a wry smile, unwell as a match with how her eyes shivered in anger and humiliation, at the sight of something that treated her as nothing but an insignificant insect.

Though for Shinomiya, she frankly did not care what the girl is thinking. Instead, her gaze turned back towards the elderly, whose bended neck 'straightened' once their eyes met.

"Shall I?" She once again offered her hand with a smile.

"U-uh..." The elderly's sour throat aside, it took all her courage, as her trembling hand took the offer.