COTE: Horikita Is My Childhood Sweetheart

Chapter 4: Kushida Kikyo is in despair

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Horikita Suzune, with mixed feelings, didn't want to push Rin Matsuoka away, who was now leaning on her shoulder. She didn't know what to do and could only close her eyes and pretend to be asleep.

As time passed, Horikita Suzune's rapidly beating heart slowed down, the blush on her cheeks faded, and her tense body finally relaxed. With her mind and body at ease, Horikita Suzune began to feel drowsy, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep, her head slightly tilting to the side, leaning on Rin Matsuoka's shoulder.

Since Rin Matsuoka was only in a shallow sleep, the sensation of Horikita's head resting on his shoulder caused him to wake up. He opened his eyes, and as he noticed her head resting on him and himself leaning over her, he immediately realized the situation.

"I must have dozed off and leaned on her," Rin thought to himself, a wave of guilt washing over him. "Great, just great. Is she going to punch me for this? I remember how much she hates people getting close to her…"

Feeling guilty, Rin shifted slightly but didn't want to wake her. What he didn't realize was that Horikita had made no effort to move him when he leaned against her, something that went against her usual behavior.

At that very moment, the bus arrived at the next stop, and Kikyo Kushida boarded in high spirits. She had been happy and hopeful, believing that her dark past would remain buried as she started fresh at this prestigious school.

However, as Kikyo stepped onto the bus and scanned for an open seat, her pupils dilated in shock when she saw Horikita Suzune and Rin Matsuoka sitting together.

While they might not recognize her, Kikyo knew them all too well. Horikita Suzune had been a well-known figure in junior high for her confrontations with students and teachers, while Rin Matsuoka had made a name for himself by scaring a girl to tears after mistaking her love letter for a challenge.

This can't be happening!

Kikyo had hoped that, upon entering high school, she could finally escape her past, believing no one from her old school would follow her. But now, not only had she run into one familiar face, but two!

Please, please let them not remember me, not know anything about my past, and most importantly, not be in the same class as me! Kikyo silently prayed, her mind racing with dread.

However, Kikyo's nerves soon began to settle as she remembered that both Horikita and Rin were top-tier students in junior high, known for their excellent grades. Her own academic performance had been below average, so she figured it was unlikely they would end up in the same class.

Unfortunately, Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School didn't divide students based on academic performance…

Feeling somewhat reassured, Kikyo allowed herself to relax a bit. But as her gaze lingered on Rin and Horikita, she noticed something strange—they were leaning against each other, their heads resting together. A flicker of confusion crossed her mind.

Are they… dating? But I never heard anything about these two interacting in junior high.

Though Kikyo didn't know much about Horikita, she had heard a lot about Rin Matsuoka. The girls in her class would constantly gossip about him, filling her ears with every little detail of his life, sometimes to the point of irritation.

"Rin Matsuoka is so handsome…"

"Rin has such an amazing physique…"

"Rin is so kind and gentle…"

"Rin accepted my lunch!"

"Rin took the bread I bought for him!"

"Rin accepted the snacks I brought!"

…

As Kikyo looked at Rin's undeniably handsome face, she couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "He's good-looking, sure, but why does he always accept food from those girls? Is he really that much of a glutton?"

The bus continued moving, and Rin Matsuoka, without showing any emotion, gently pushed Horikita Suzune's head away from his shoulder, trying to create some distance between them.

However, Horikita Suzune was also a light sleeper. The moment Rin's fingertips nudged her head, she woke up!

She raised her head and looked at Rin through sleepy eyes. Rin quickly withdrew his fingers, which had been gently pushing her head.

At that moment, the air between them grew silent...

"Let me explain... No, let me make an excuse!" Rin thought frantically, a cold sweat forming on his forehead as he prepared to explain. But before he could say anything, Horikita Suzune, expressionless, turned her head away, opened her book, and resumed reading.

Horikita's nonchalant behavior left Rin puzzled and confused. What did her lack of reaction mean?

Although Rin didn't fully understand what was going through her mind, he wisely chose not to ask.

Horikita Suzune continued to read the book in her hand, while Rin, feeling relieved, turned to look out the window. The two of them seemed to silently agree to forget the fact that they had just dozed off together.

"What a mistake! How could I fall asleep like that? It's all Rin's fault. If he hadn't leaned on me, I wouldn't have dozed off either," Horikita Suzune thought to herself, although her mind wasn't on her book at all.

[Horikita Suzune has developed a grudge against you, and this grudge is growing.]

"…"

The system's reminder caused Rin's lips to twitch in frustration. Quietly, he shifted to the right, putting more distance between himself and Horikita Suzune.

The bus continued for another ten minutes before stopping at another bus stop. This time, an old lady with a cane got on the bus.

As soon as Kikyo Kushida saw the old lady, her eyes lit up. She instantly thought of using this opportunity to create a "kind and caring" image for herself by giving up her seat to the elderly woman.

But that idea was quickly squashed.

Kikyo knew that Rin Matsuoka and Horikita Suzune were on the bus. If she acted too conspicuously, she would surely attract their attention.

Building her persona could wait. For now, she decided it was better to stay low and avoid unnecessary notice.

[Giving up your seat to the elderly is a good virtue.]

Rin suddenly heard the system's voice again, predicting it would suggest he give up his seat to the old lady.

But it didn't…

[So, host, please persuade someone else to give up their seat for the old lady.]

[Complete this task to earn one personal quality enhancement point (random enhancement).]

"…"

Rin was startled by the system's request, which felt like it was twisting his arm.

"You want me, who is already sitting in a seat, to ask someone else to give up theirs? Isn't that the kind of thing that those moral busybodies do?" Rin thought, rubbing his forehead in disbelief.

Though Rin didn't consider himself a saint and often admitted he lacked morals, he certainly wasn't about to resort to something as shameless as moral extortion.

However, Rin didn't want to miss the system's reward either. Even if it was just a small enhancement, every little bit helped in the long run.

Weighing his options, Rin's gaze slowly turned toward Horikita Suzune, who was sitting right next to him.

"…" Horikita Suzune frowned ever so slightly, sensing something was off.