After the events in Classroom of the Elite, Hoshino Aqua crosses paths once again with Ayanokouji Kiyotaka at Ai's funeral. An encounter echoing their connection in a past life when Aqua was known as Amamiya Gorou. Fuelled by a thirst for revenge, A...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
1
✶
Nino arrives at the kitchen with me, a serene quiet settled in our shared space. The rhythmic sound of the knife against the vegetables marked the passing minutes. Nino, for some reason, seemed nervous by trying to tell me something. Though, I could guess what it was about.
I stole glances at her adorable expressions, catching the fleeting emotions that danced across her face. Eventually, as I almost finished cutting the vegetables, I turned around to address her.
"Is there something wrong, Nino?"
"Eh? No... It's just... Are you really going to be in that reality show tomorrow? There must be another way for you to earn extra money. I know! I can talk to Papa and—"
"I don't want to depend on your father for this Nino. Please trust me."
I explained to her that my motivation for joining the reality show was the need to accumulate funds for my impending college expenses, a rationale that could be deemed entirely justified.
Considering the hefty costs of tuition, medical books, and other essential expenses, participating in the show seemed like a practical way to secure some financial stability for my future education. It's not technically a lie since I could, in fact, use the money I earn for that purpose.
"B-But... My sisters don't know we're already dating... If you start a relationship in the show, we won't be able to tell them."
"Should we tell them today then?"
"No... It's still..." Her voice trailed off.
Leaning against the kitchen counter, I set the knife aside and took a step closer to her. "Nino, I understand your worries, but the show is just a temporary arrangement. We can figure out the right time to share the news with your sisters. It's essential to make sure you're comfortable with it."
Her eyes meet mine.
"Let's take it one step at a time," I suggested, offering a reassuring smile. "Today, we focus on us and the tonkatsu. Tomorrow, we'll navigate the rest together."
"Umm." She nodded timidly.
I turn around. "I'll keep cutting these vegetables then we can—"
She suddenly hugs me from behind with her eyes closed.
"Itsuki is still in the living room. She might see us." I remarked.
"Just for a bit longer."
I keep my focus on the vegetables, attempting to maintain the semblance of normalcy in our shared moment.
"Hey, you're doing it wrong. Let me help you~" She skillfully took the knife from my hand and began her lesson while maintaining her embrace.
