The Troublemaker And The Masterpiece | COTE X OC

Cup Noodles and Ice Cream

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

"You, again?"

Horikita said this very exasperatedly, as if she was tired of bumping into Sumire so often. Trust me Horikita, I feel the same way towards you.

"Well, I was just protecting him from getting corrupted by you."

"What?! What are you talking about?"

"You are essentially telling a person who has social anxiety that there's no merit in talking to people or making friends? And that too after he made such an outstanding effort to introduce himself! How can this be anything but discouraging to him?"

Horikita turned to me, perplexed.

"You have social anxiety?"

Uhh... what should I tell her?

"You are again putting him on the spot. You always try to scare him. But I'll tell you what, don't even try because I'll be here to protect him."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I didn't need any protecting.

Actually, scratch that. Maybe from Horikita, I did.

"You-u!!"

Sumire once again was victorious against Horikita. I don't know how she does that, but she just does.

Horikita stormed to a different aisle.

"Are you okay, Kiyo-chan?"

Sumire was looking at me with concern.

"I'm okay now. Thank you."

"It's fine, but Kiyo-chan, don't believe her on whatever she said just now. You did awesome on your introduction, and I'm sure that many people would want to be your friend, at least I know I want to."

She was looking at me with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Sumire."

Her smile got just a tad bit warmer at that.

"By the way, why did you come here alone?"

What? Is she mocking me that I haven't managed to make any friends? Why is she asking me that? Just now she was defending me.

At my continued silence, she asked me again.

"I'm asking why didn't you wait for me?"

Oh.

"I thought you didn't want to talk to me, so I didn't want to bother you."

She looked at with me with so much concern, it hurt.

"It's not like that at all, Kiyo-chan. Actually, Kikyo-chan and her friends asked me to hang out but I told them that I wanted to spend some time with you. Because really Kiyo-chan, I know that we are best friends, but we don't know each other at all."

Oh, so that's what she was talking about.

Oh.

I haven't felt glad to be wrong before.

It means that she does want to be my friend. It was just a misunderstanding that has now been resolved.

"Oh. I get it now. I am sorry I misunderstood."

"Not at all, Kiyo-chan. I am sorry for not asking you to wait for me and not telling you about it beforehand."

She looked actually apologetic and it didn't seem like it was an empty apology.

"Ok then, Kiyo-chan, I also have to shop for some things. Let's shop together and get to know each other."

We walked together and talked about mundane things.