COTE : Is Talent Everything? (Rewrite)-Chapter 128 - 123: Changes between the present and the past

Here is the translation of the provided Japanese text into English:

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Enjoying Every Moment with Hiyori

I savored every possible moment with Hiyori before walking down the hallway toward my room. Hiyori had been visibly reluctant to part ways, but given the time constraints, she eventually gave in, albeit with a dejected expression.

"U-Um!"

A slightly flustered voice reached me just as the guest rooms came into view. Turning toward the sound, I saw Yamamura hurriedly approaching.

"Yamamura? What's wrong?"

This was the hallway leading to the boys' rooms—not a place girls usually came, let alone someone as reserved as Yamamura. She took a small breath and lifted her head.

"I was... looking for you, Hikigaya-kun."

"Me?"

"Y-Yeah... I brought you a drink. Like I promised during skiing..."

Ah, right. Now that she mentioned it, I remembered. I had used that as a bargaining chip to convince her when she initially refused my offer to teach her how to ski. I'd completely forgotten.

"You went out of your way to find me just for that?"

"I don't have your contact info... and I didn't want to leave things unfinished."

Coming all the way here just for that—even if Yamamura was the type to fade into the background, waiting in a hallway mostly used by boys must have taken considerable courage.

"That's... I'm sorry for making you go through all that trouble. I was the one who brought it up, after all."

"N-No, this is my way of thanking you. So, what would you like? I'll go buy it."

"I can't let you do something like that, treating you like an errand girl. Why don't we go together?"

Honestly, I just wanted to talk to Yamamura a little longer—getting treated to a drink would be more trouble than it was worth. But I knew she wouldn't back down unless I agreed. It's funny how being treated can sometimes be more bothersome than treating someone.

Yamamura hesitated for a moment but seemed to realize from past experience that I wouldn't budge. She nodded and followed me as we headed toward the vending machines in the lobby.

"Come to think of it, this is the first time you've initiated a conversation with me, Yamamura."

"...Was that rude of me?"

"Not at all. I just meant it felt fresh."

Looking back, every interaction we'd had so far had been started by me. The fact that she reached out first might mean she's lowered her guard around me—at least a little.

"Can I ask you something?"

Her sudden question made me turn to face her.

"Why... have you been so kind to me?"

"Kind?"

"You taught me how to ski even though we'd just met... You even considered my feelings during lunch... There's no way someone like me is fun to be around."

Her voice was tinged with self-deprecation, but that was just Yamamura being Yamamura.

"If you ask me why... I guess I just found you interesting."

"Interesting...?"

"Not in a bad or weird way, just to be clear."

"I-I know that!"

I made sure to clarify before she got the wrong idea.

What started as simple curiosity had now connected us like this. Fate really is an amusing thing.

"Well, to put it simply, back when we were skiing, I was just worried you wouldn't make it back on your own."

"That doesn't really answer my question..."

What she was really asking was why I chose to involve myself with her. My response didn't address that.

"I don't think I've been particularly kind to you."

"That's not..."

"You said you're no fun to be around, but I enjoy it. Is that reason not good enough?"

"...It's not... that it isn't."

Whether she didn't know how to respond or was too flustered to speak, she quickly averted her face, as if she couldn't bear to look at me.

"Ah, um, the vending machine... I-I'll go buy it now!"

She practically dashed toward the vending machine, unable to handle the tension any longer. While she was gone, I slipped into the nearby shop, bought something, and returned to where I'd been standing. I hadn't taken long, but Yamamura had been faster—she looked visibly panicked when she realized I was gone.

"Sorry, Yamamura. I just popped into the shop for a second."

"Oh... I thought you'd left me behind."

"Would I do that?"

She gave a small, wry smile and said, "Here, as thanks," handing me one of the two drinks she'd bought. The other was presumably for herself.

"Did you buy something at the shop?"

"Yeah. Just felt like having something."

What I'd bought was ice cream—the kind that splits into two. I broke it in half and offered one part to Yamamura, but she just tilted her head in confusion.

"Uh...?"

"This is for you. Let's share."

Her expression went from puzzled to flustered in an instant, and she frantically waved her hands in front of her face.

"I-I can't accept this...!"

"It's my thanks for the drink."

"But that was my thanks!"

"Then consider this thanks for your thanks. Besides, it's a little too much for one person. You'd be doing me a favor by helping me eat it."

"Ehh..."

After some hesitation, she reluctantly accepted.

We stood there, eating ice cream together before heading back to our rooms. Our original plan had just been to hit the vending machines, but somehow, this strange extension happened. I was the one who prolonged it, though.

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Third Day of the School Trip – Sightseeing Test

The third day was supposed to be free for sightseeing, but the school had set up a small test: visit at least six designated tourist spots. Clear it, and the fourth day would remain free. Fail, and you'd be stuck in a study session tomorrow.

My group didn't have any rebellious members, so it was just a peaceful day of sightseeing—surprisingly, almost too peaceful. Meanwhile, Ayanokōji's group seemed to be having some trouble, judging by the occasional glances I stole in their direction.

"Hikigaya-kun."

The voice called out to me while Matsushita and I were watching over the bags during a bathroom break. Matsushita tilted her head slightly, her eyes soft but probing.

"Can I ask you something?"

"If it's something I can answer."

"Then it should be fine. There's something I've been curious about since yesterday... well, since last night, really."

She'd waited until we were alone to bring it up—probably because she didn't want Hirata or the others overhearing.

Given how casually she'd approached it, her next words caught me slightly off guard.

"You were with Shiina-san last night, right?"

...Ah.

That would be a topic best kept private. No wonder she'd waited until now.

I had sensed someone around the corner last night but dismissed it as just another student. I never expected it to be Matsushita.

"You saw?"

"More like... I happened to see. Shiina-san seemed off, so I followed her."

Hiyori had come straight from the baths, so if Matsushita had tailed her, it made sense.

"Did you tell Hiyori?"

"No, and I don't plan to. I just never knew Shiina-san had that side to her."

Her reaction was more indifferent than I expected. I thought she'd press further, but maybe she wasn't that invested.

"You two looked really into it."

"That's a terrible way to phrase it."

"Is Shiina-san the clingy type?"

"More than average."

"You were hugging for a while, and then you even kissed."

"You saw that much?"

"I heard it too."

She stated it all matter-of-factly, not even looking at me. There was no underlying intent to her words—just observations.

"You must've been happy too, right? Getting showered with affection from someone as cute as Shiina-san."

"No comment."

Her detached tone was almost unsettling. But since she kept dancing around the subject, I decided to push back a little.

"You've been asking a lot of questions, but what's your real point?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out... But first, are you two dating?"

"We're not."

"Eh?"

Given what she saw, that reaction was understandable.

"You're not dating, but you were doing all that?"

"It's a long story, but the short version is: Hiyori wanted it, so I went along. That's all."

Most people would find that off-putting. Normally, that kind of intimacy would be reserved for couples. But Hiyori and I had an understanding—mutual consent was enough for us.

"...Matsushita...?"

When I glanced at her, her expression wasn't what I expected. She covered her mouth slightly, as if holding back a smile, and her downcast eyes sparkled with something like... delight?

"You two, thanks for watching the bags."

Before I could figure out how to respond, Kanzaki returned from the bathroom.

At the same time, Matsushita stood up with a cheerful smile.

"It's fine! I'll be right back too!"

She'd said what she wanted to say, but I still didn't know what her real point was. Watching her skip away in high spirits, I couldn't help but wonder.

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Dinner – Buffet Chaos

Dinner on the third night switched from the previous fixed-course meals to an all-you-can-eat buffet. Unlike the group-based activities, seating was free, so I could sit wherever. I'd been invited by Ishizaki, so my spot was already decided.

"...This isn't like the cake buffets I know."

My only experience with buffets was dessert-based. Faced with a spread of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes, I skipped the Japanese options.

After two days of traditional meals, they just didn't appeal to me. It wasn't that they were bad—my palate had just been spoiled by Hiyori's cooking.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

Once I'd filled my plate, I headed to the table where Hiyori, Nishino, and Albert were already seated. Ishizaki, who'd invited me, was nowhere to be seen—until he returned with Ayanokōji in tow.

"Ayanokōji, you got dragged into this too?"

"Yeah. Figured I'd take Ishizaki up on his offer."

"Food's way better with more people, right?!"

Well, Ishizaki did have a talent for rallying people.

"Check it out! I scored us some crab! Crab feast, baby!"

As Ayanokōji and I ate, Ishizaki returned with a massive plate piled high with nothing but crab legs.

"...That's a lot."

"Come on, it's Hokkaido! Crab's a must! I grabbed as much as I could!"

"You're so gross."

Nishino's sharp remark was met with silence from me and Albert, while Hiyori just smiled awkwardly.

"Gross? This is a buffet, dude! All-you-can-eat means all-you-can-eat!"

As Ishizaki defended his gluttony, Nishino ignored him and scooped up some chawanmushi.

"Oh, hey, any of you seen Katsuragi? I wanted to invite him too, but I couldn't find him."

"Katsuragi-kun? I haven't."

"Me neither."

Come to think of it, I hadn't seen him either. Scanning the room, I spotted Katsuragi eating alone in a corner.

Watching him, I noticed something odd. A Class A student, Matoba, kept intercepting anyone who tried to approach him—specifically, Odagiri from our class.

"I see."

Ayanokōji seemed to notice too but made no move to intervene. Maybe he didn't want to meddle in another class's affairs—or maybe he knew I would handle it.

This was clearly harassment targeting Katsuragi after his transfer from Class A. If Matoba wanted to play dirty, I'd respond in kind.

"Ishizaki, Katsuragi's over there. Let's go get him."

"Oh, there he is! Dude, why's he eating alone?!"

Ishizaki, ever oblivious to subtlety, barged right up to Katsuragi—only for Matoba to cut in.

"Hey, Katsuragi's kinda in the middle of a group thing right now. Mind giving him some space?"

He'd probably used the same excuse to shoo Odagiri away. Normally, that would've worked—but...

"Hah? A 'group thing'? Who cares? Move."

This was Ishizaki. The guy who couldn't read the room if his life depended on it.

He shoved past Matoba, who tried to block him again.

"Seriously, back off."

"Shut up. This ain't your class, so it's none of your damn business."

"Tch..."

Matoba clicked his tongue and stormed off, realizing Ishizaki wasn't worth the trouble.

"Hey, Katsuragi! What're you doing eating alone?! Come join us!"

"Ishizaki... and Hikigaya...?"

Katsuragi looked stunned as Ishizaki slung an arm around him.

"Oh, right, you were doing some 'group thing,' huh? Screw that, come on! The buffet's just getting started!"

"Wait, you actually believed that...?"

I'd thought Ishizaki had seen through the lie, but... apparently, he just didn't care either way.

"Nah, I'm already done eating."

"It's a buffet, man! You're supposed to eat till you explode! Let's go!"

He practically dragged Katsuragi away before he could even clear his tray.

In the end, Katsuragi turned pale from overeating—but at least he didn't seem to mind.

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Late-Night Confessions

By 11 PM, lights-out plunged our room into darkness. Everyone was in bed, though not necessarily asleep. Then, out of nowhere—

"I can't sleep. Wanna talk about love or something?"

"Love...?"

Iijima's murmur was met with a quiet response from Kanzaki. Since I wasn't sleepy either, I joined in—along with Hirata.

"Let's save Hikigaya for last."

"Why?"

"So, Hirata, what about you? Got someone you like?"

Ignoring my question, Iijima turned to Hirata, who answered with a wry chuckle.

"Not really... not at the moment, at least."

"Really? I figured a guy like you would have a girlfriend."

"Haha, it'd be dishonest to give a half-hearted answer. What about you, Kanzaki?"

"Well, I'm close with some girls, but 'like' is a different story."

"Man, you guys are both so popular..."

Both were well-known heartthrobs in our grade.

After a brief silence, I could feel everyone's eyes on me in the dark.

"Okay, Hikigaya—time for the main event!"

"Making me the 'main event' isn't flattering."

"First up, Shiina. Then our class leader, Sakayanagi, and Matsushita from Class C. Lately, even Horikita's name's been floating around."

"I've heard about upperclassmen like Ichinose, Kiryuuin, Nanase, and even Ayanokōji from first-years."

"One of my kouhai mentioned Nanase and Amasawa being obsessed with some guy."

"...Hikigaya, you've got way too many rumors."

The floodgates had opened. I had no response other than silence—but the three of them kept staring.

"Right now, there's no girl I have feelings for."

"...Seriously?"

"Dead serious."

"Damn, that's the biggest shock of the trip."

Iijima sounded almost disappointed. Why was everyone so surprised when I said I wasn't dating anyone?

"Oh, right! There's something I've been meaning to ask you, Hikigaya."

"More? Can we not make this all about my love life?"

"Well, it's kinda related... It's about Sakayanagi."

The name made everyone tense up.

"This is just a rumor, but... are you and Sakayanagi really childhood friends?"

I'd braced for something worse, but this was harmless. Or so I thought—until I felt an intense gaze from an unexpected person.

"Yeah, it's true. Arisu and I are... something like that."

I'd phrase it as "childhood friends" for simplicity, even if it wasn't entirely accurate.

Kanzaki, who'd been staring at me, still looked unconvinced.

"Hikigaya... no, what do your parents do for a living?"

"My parents?"

The question came out of nowhere. I didn't even know my parents' faces, let alone their jobs. Takuya was in the same boat.

"They worked at ordinary companies. I don't know the details—they never talked much about work when I was a kid."

"...I see. Sorry for the weird question."

His true intentions were unclear, but Kanzaki definitely had some suspicions about me.

"Hikigaya-kun, you don't smile much now, but what were you like as a kid?"

This time, it was Hirata. The questions kept coming—probably because of my usual poker face.

"I've never been good at expressing myself. I'm expressionless now, but back then—"

The words brought back memories.

Hazy, foggy recollections.

I never forgot my past. Every moment—from birth to the white-walled routine of that place—remained etched in my mind. The difference between my past and present selves was stark.

"Back then... I was a little more human."

Back when I was on the verge of expulsion from the White Room.

The one who later became known as its greatest masterpiece—surpassing even Ayanokōji.

The power I gained came from the changes I underwent.

"Wait, 'human'...?"

Hirata sounded confused beside me, so I brushed it off lightly.

"Ryuuen once said I move like a robot. So I guess I was more 'human' back then."

"Oh... right."

He sounded relieved. The conversation, which had started with love, continued until midnight.

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Ayanokōji's Side – Same Question

Coincidentally, at the same time, Ayanokōji was asked a similar question by Watanabe.

"Ayanokōji, you don't show much emotion. Were you always like that?"

"Yeah."

He nodded slightly, his expression unchanging.

"I've always been this way. Nothing's changed."

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Bonus: Flashback

Maybe it was because the conversation with Hirata had dredged up memories of that place—of the past.

That night, I dreamed of an old story I'd once heard.

If a child endures inhuman training, remaining unbroken... can they still be called human?

No.

They're monsters.

The White Room—a facility designed to mass-produce geniuses. Among its students, the fourth generation was infamous for its brutal Beta Curriculum, with a 93% dropout rate.

One by one, the children disappeared.

By the time spring arrived, only two remained.

Two children with the same eyes.

The last survivors of the fourth generation.

The White Room's goal was to continue their education until adulthood.

But these two—after ten, eleven, twelve years—showed no signs of breaking.

Six more years until adulthood...

It was impossible.

Those two would soon surpass all human limits.

The strongest. The most brilliant.

And the most abnormal.

They were no longer human.

The ultimate completed specimens.

The White Room's—

Masterpieces.

'To survive... to keep winning... the last thing I needed was... that.'

Staring at Kiyotaka, I realized.

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