Cote: Elite in Action

Divergent paths

The days passed quickly since Honami's issue was resolved. Actually, it was she who solved it; I had offered my help, but she refused. She wanted to face her own problems and not rely on me so much. I found that admirable, so I let her do what she thought necessary.

Now I was wandering through the school hallways. I didn't have anything better to do, so I decided to spend some time alone. I enjoyed it because it allowed me to reflect on myself and my emotions, something that sometimes was difficult amid the daily hustle and bustle.

While walking, I noticed a blue-haired girl acting suspiciously. I wondered why she was behaving that way; she seemed to be hiding from someone, and then she started following a group of girls. This happened several times, and my curiosity led me to follow her.

The blue-haired girl was Ibuki, who was following a small group of girls from Class D: Matsushita Chiaki, Satou Maya, and Karuizawa Kei. The three of them were sitting in an ice cream shop, laughing and enjoying their ice creams. Ibuki, on the other hand, sat on a bench a little farther away but with a clear view of the trio. She wasn't trying hard to hide her surveillance; her eyes were fixed on them, almost as if she was waiting for something.

I decided to sneak up behind her. Just as I was beside her, I blew softly in her ear.

"Damn it!" Ibuki jumped off the bench, and her reaction made me laugh out loud. When she turned around and saw who it was, she gave me a death glare.

"You bastard! What's wrong with you? You nearly scared me to death," she said, furious, as she sat back down.

"Come on, it wasn't that bad," I replied, settling beside her.

"Hmph," she grumbled, looking away with a frown.

"By the way, Ibuki, why are you following those girls?" I asked, pointing at the trio.

Her demeanor changed a little before she responded. "That's none of your business," she said defensively.

"I guess that's true, but Ibuki, you're a terrible spy. Or at least that's how it looks," I said with a teasing smile.

"I don't have to answer any of your questions," she retorted, crossing her arms.

"Come on, that's boring. I thought I'd see something interesting," I said, letting myself fall onto her lap. I knew I might get hit, but I enjoyed the risk.

"What the hell are you doing?" she glared at me, with a face that said, "Depending on your answer, I'm going to hit you."

"I'm helping you, you know?" I replied with a carefree smile.

"Helping?" she repeated, still incredulous.

"Of course. I don't have bad intentions; I'm just helping you stay unnoticed. It's obvious that you're spying on them, and they might realize it, so I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen," I explained, trying to sound convincing.