COTE: The Best Version of Me

Prologue 3 - A promising future

Ayanokoji POV

Time skip: 2 Weeks Later - December 1st

I feel the sun's rays filtering through the curtains, casting a gentle dance of light and shadow across my room. The warmth of the morning begins to fill the space, and my body is still immersed in the twilight of dreams. My eyelids weigh down like they're made of lead, and I keep them closed for a few more moments, allowing the sensation of sleep to envelop me.

The alarm clock, insistent in its soft melody, seems distant, almost as if it's in a parallel universe. I make an effort to stretch, feeling the muscles elongate slowly, as if they're awakening just like I am. The duvet is still wrapped around me, it's warm and soft texture cocooning me in a comfortable, reassuring embrace.

As I open my eyes, everything appears a bit blurry, as if the world is still deciding whether to materialize or vanish. I give a small, contented smile upon seeing the familiar sight of my room: the painting on the wall and the furniture that holds books and keepsakes. And next to the picture, a photo we took a few days ago. Matsuo was in the middle of the photo hugging both me and Eiichiro, we were like a real family.

That thought wasn't bad at all...

I take a moment to adjust to the increased light, until the sensation of being fully awake begins to settle in. With a deep sigh, I finally decided to get out of bed. My legs, still slightly wobbly, take slow steps toward my phone resting on the bedside table. With a slight twist, I pick up the device and, glancing at the screen, see a name glowing softly.

Ichinose is calling me on my cell phone relatively early today...

Since we met two weeks ago, Ichinose and I have developed a little habit of calling each other and chatting a little before each of us starts our day. A habit that I have embraced without any problems. The anticipation of hearing her voice, which is like a breath of spring on a chilly morning. I tap the button to answer, and immediately, her voice, soft and melodious, fills the space around me.

["Good Morning, Ayanokoji-kun!"]

There's a sweetness in the way she speaks... the lightness in your voice is always welcome to me. 

Our conversation flows naturally, and her words have the power to transform an ordinary morning into something memorable. As we talk, the world seems to spin more slowly, as if each of her words is a carefully wrapped gift made just for me. While we were talking, the topic of second-term exams came up.

["Ichinose, your exams are coming up soon, right? How are your studies going?"] A small sigh was picked up by the microphone on the other end of the conversation, she seemed to not want to comment much on it.

["Well, I'm not having any problems with the subjects themselves, but the student council matters are overwhelming me too much. I don't think I'll have much time to study enough and keep my grades up, but I'm not at risk of getting a low grade either."]

["How about you come over to my house next week?"] 

I suggested honestly. I didn't mind helping her with her studies. However, without being able to hear her response, I heard a relatively loud noise coming from the other line of the call. Did she drop her phone?

["W-Wait, Ayanokoji-kun, WHAT?"] Her voice came out almost like a loud shout. Her voice was a mixture of disbelief, animosity, and a strange excitement. Maybe she misunderstood me?

[Since Eiichiro is also entering his exam period, I'm going to give him some private lessons and help him study for the exams. So I thought you could join us."] This time, I tried to convey my idea more clearly, without leaving any room for doubt.