Cote: Retelling

Chapter 5.1: Victory calls for Celebration... WITH THE BOIS

            I pack my away sweaty clothes and change into my school uniform since I've yet to buy any outfits. It's only the third day of school, anyway. As we leave the changing room, Watanabe says he's heading home since he's too tired, and Kotetsu follows him. Apparently, they've been friends since elementary. A long-lasting friendship, huh? If my theories about classes are correct, I wonder if it'll affect their friendship? I'm interested in finding out, but there are more pressing concerns right now. Namely, me, Hirata and Shibata are currently surrounded by Hirata's entourage of girls... Wait, is there more than before? Hirata, what a frightening man.

"Shibata-kun, you were so cool!"

"Ayanokouji-kun, I didn't know you were that fast! And that headbutt!" What, do girls find headbutting attractive? Or is she just praising my skill?

"Hirata-kun, you were amazing too!"

Shibata's blushing, Hirata takes it all with a smile and I remain expressionless, but I'm glad to have made a good impression to the class' girls. Maybe someone will invite me for lunch now.

"Shibata-kun, Hirata-kun, Ayanokouji-kun, do you want to go get something with us? It's almost dinnertime. We'll treat you!" Oh, an invitation for a free meal with a bunch of girls. This is a rare opportunity.

"Oh, it's fine. You don't need to buy dinner for us." Hirata, ever the gentlemen, tries to resist, but it's futile.

"Oh, it's fine! We'll split the costs between us, so it'll be pretty cheap. Plus, you deserve it after that performance!"

"But..."

"It's fine!" They say in unison. Are they a hive mind?

"Come on, Hirata-kun, just let us treat you, ok?" Karuizawa Kei comes forward and wraps her arm around his again and looks up with puppy-dog eyes. What deft movement. Shame even that couldn't break through Hirata's impregnable defense: his expression doesn't falter at all. Though, even he can't keep rejecting them in this atmosphere.

"Ayanokouji-kun, Shibata-kun, what do you think?"

Shibata shakes his head while blushing. "Sorry, but I'm a bit tired today. I don't really feel like going out."

While I could say yes here and go with Hirata and the girls, this is too high a hurdle right now. Interacting while eating, not to mention with an entire group of unfamiliar girls, is too unruly of a situation for me to handle. Plus, if I make one bad move my overall impression might go down, just after I raised it too. This is essentially a high-risk high-reward gambit, but I have no reason to take it right now. I'm in the soccer club with Hirata. Opportunities like this won't be so rare anymore, so there's no need to take this risk. "Yeah, I'm pretty tired too. I think I'll just go back for today." I say.

Hirata nods and says to the girls. "I'm tired as well. I'm sorry everyone, but I think we'll all go home early today." Hirata, with his defense bolstered with our comments, successfully repels the girls. We're met with disappointed sighs all around, but soon we're saying goodbye while heading to the dorms.

"God, I was nervous. Hirata, Ayanokouji, what was that? Why did we get swarmed as soon as we got out? Why were they all there in the first place?"

"That was Hirata's harem."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"It's not like that. We're all just friends."

"Even so. Dude, Hirata. You're amazing. Just be careful not to get stabbed in the back."