Cote: Elite in Action

Sweet Tension

I found myself in a small and cozy dessert shop, the atmosphere warm, with soft lights enhancing the vintage decor of the place. The table I shared with Honami was adorned with a small vase of fresh flowers, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the sweetness of pastries filled the air.

It was one of those moments that had become quite frequent. Lately, Honami had been inviting me out quite often, which didn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, I enjoyed these outings very much. Although, now that I thought about it... could this be called a date? I had never had outings like these before, at least not of this kind. They were always in groups, which automatically disqualified them as dates. But in this case, it was just Honami and me.

I glanced at Honami while enjoying a small piece of chocolate cake. The expression of happiness and delight on her face was so genuine that it made me smile. The cake looked quite appetizing, and I couldn't help but notice how she savored each bite. I got lost in the scene until suddenly, Honami noticed that I was watching her. She returned my gaze, and without losing her smile, she cut a small piece of her cake and lifted it toward me with the fork.

"Here, Kayden. Open your mouth," she said with a smile so bright that it was impossible not to feel joy seeing her.

I nodded slightly, opening my mouth as she brought the cake closer and fed me. The taste was sweet, smooth, an explosion of chocolate that quickly conquered my palate.

"It's delicious," I said sincerely, enjoying the flavor as I nodded.

"Isn't it? This is my favorite," Honami replied with a little excitement in her voice. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and we continued chatting about trivial yet entertaining things.

The afternoon went on, and the atmosphere between us became increasingly relaxed. However, my attention was briefly diverted when I noticed some girls sitting at a table not too far from ours. Their stares were intense, fixed on us, or rather, on me. It was as if they didn't look away for even a second. Even when I made eye contact with one of them, she didn't flinch; she continued watching us without saying a word.

They were older than us, that was evident. They weren't first-year students like Honami and me but rather second-year students. The strange behavior of some second-year students towards me was nothing new, but for some time, those stares had become more frequent, more insistent. Whenever I went somewhere, I felt those gazes behind me.

The reason was quite obvious: Nagumo. He practically controlled most of the students in his year, with a few exceptions. He was a natural leader, and those under his command followed him without question. Apparently, this new habit of watching me was part of his tactics to intimidate me or perhaps to demonstrate his influence. Maybe he was trying to use social pressure to make me feel uncomfortable, but to be honest, that kind of pressure didn't work on me.

"Kayden, who are you looking at?" Honami's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. She had noticed where I was directing my attention, and when her eyes met those of the girls, something changed in her.

"Kayden, were you looking at those girls?" she repeated, but this time her tone had changed. Her gaze had dimmed slightly, and a hint of coldness seeped into her voice. This side of Honami still surprised me, even though I had seen it before. It only appeared when she sensed that there was another girl involved with me in some way. Outside of that, she was always the sweet and kind Honami I knew. It was a rare but undeniable change.

I smiled slightly at her reaction, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Looking at other girls? Of course not," I said with a cheeky grin. "How could I look at another girl when I have you right in front of me?"