Cote: A Simple Order

C1: Something Unexpectedly In Common

It's been about several minutes since Kamuro finished drinking the hot chocolate…for a moment, I thought he wasn't going to…

Kamuro stared at me…like thinking about some things, maybe remembering things…

Well here I go— he blurted out that statement before starting to speak…

Kamuro's POV 

It was about a week after the opening ceremony when Sakayanagi first contacted me.

Flashback

On my way back to the dorms, I stopped by the store. I quickly finished my business at the store and left.

One moment please— I heard someone's voice, looked back and realized one thing…

On the way between the store and the dorms, one of my classmates spoke to me. 

What do you want? – I asked her without looking at her 

It hasn't been long since we started classes here, so I thought I'd talk to you a bit, Kamuro-san— she said 

You remembered my name— I said, I must say that I was very surprised to hear her name from her mouth… As far as I can remember I haven't talked to anyone with her tone of voice… 

I have memorized the names and faces of all my classmates— she said calmly… I didn't like that statement for some strange reason… 

That said, this girl's pace was very slow. 

The cane she held in one hand was more than enough proof that her legs were hurt. I remembered her name. Her name was Arisu Sakayanagi.

She was very conspicuous because of her physical disability. Although I had no intention of remembering the names of my companions, hers managed to stay in my mind for some reason. 

Can I accompany you on the way back? – I wonder… Usually I would decline. However, although it was not directly because of her disabled legs, my mood made it difficult to refuse her.

As you wish— I said 

Thank you very much— she said…

She showed a pleasant smile and sped up a little in order to match my pace with me. 

I won't help you if you stumble by pushing yourself— I spoke

I'll be fine. This cane and I are old friends—she spoke, I must also add that her statement made me think that I was crazy, but that thought lasted less than I thought it would…

That said, she still didn't move very quickly.

Haa…— Although I intentionally let out a heavy sigh, Sakayanagi didn't seem to mind it, her outer appearance was fragile, but she had the heart of a lioness.

By the way, what were you doing in the store just now – 

What? –

From what I see, it seems like you didn't buy anything— 

So? Sometimes you just don't find what you're looking for— I tried to end the conversation there, but Sakayanagi grabbed my arm. 

You were stealing, weren't you? – Sakayanagi asked, looking me straight in the eyes. 

Her eyes were shining. It was like she had found an interesting new toy. Although I suppose you already investigated the place a few times to determine the position of the cameras, was that the first time you did it this school? Or how many times have you done it so far? – she spoke and asked various things, so I decided to ask her something too…

Are you sure I stole something? – I asked her, she laughed lightly at my statement and looked at me 

Yes. It seems like you are not taking me very seriously, but I am confident. If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked you if you stole something— I stared at her… she looked at me and I must add that that smug smile on her face displeases me…

Well. That's true—Sakayanagi approached me because she had witnessed me stealing from the store.

Even if I had stolen something, what's wrong? Are you going to report me to the school? – I said…

Let me see. While it would be very simple for me to report this to the school, please hear me out before we get to that point—

Huh? –Whether I made it clear or not, and noticing my confusion, Sakayanagi continued

Your execution was magnificent. What surprised me the most was how you managed to keep your composure. Normally, people would buy cheap things like gum or candy in order to ease the guilt. However, it doesn't seem like you did something like that. This also proves that stealing has become routine for you—Sakayanagi hit the nail on the head. After seeing me in action once, she could tell that I had been doing it for a long time. But what does that matter? 

I had no intention of prolonging this for too long…

No matter how good my execution was, the fact that she had seen me in the act will never go away…

Do whatever you want— I told her as I searched through my bag and took out the can of beer I had stolen from the store.

[Picture]

Generally speaking, people under 20 are not allowed to buy it. 

It was sold here only to the teachers and other staff living on campus.

Hurry up and contact the school— Even though I said this, Sakayanagi asked me something unrelated. 

Do you drink often? — I wonder 

Hah? …No. I have no interest in alcohol— I answered her with a lie… 

In other words, you don't use theft as a method to alleviate the expenses of daily life, but as a means to savor the excitement and experience the guilt of sin—she told me and proceeded to arbitrarily analyze the situation, even though she was apparently very good at reading things, she didn't realize that I lied or she simply realized and didn't pay attention to it… 

I understand. You are able to analyze a situation calmly. How about we go and you quickly deliver me to the school? – I said 

Are you sure you want that? If the school finds out that you stole, you probably won't be able to avoid suspension—she told me, but I didn't pay attention to it…

So? – I answered…

It hasn't been a week since the entrance ceremony yet. There are still many things, enjoyable and not so enjoyable, waiting for us after this, aren't there? – she told me… If you're not going to inform the school, I'll do it myself—I tried to take out my phone, but she stopped me.

I like you, Masumi Kamuro-san. You have to become my first friend—she spoke, after which, she urged me to put my phone away… 

What are you saying? —I asked her 

I'll keep your secret, and in exchange, please help me with some things—she spoke… 

That... isn't what is considered a friend—I told her, she just nodded her head in confusion, but it was obvious that she knew what I meant, but she's acting ignorant on purpose… 

Really? –she asked stupidly, even though she knew she was pretending it was still annoying… 

Also, do you think I'll listen to you obediently? – I spoke to her as I asked her at the same time… Certainly, if I were to report you to the school, you probably wouldn't suffer much harm, but even so, your status as a thief would be exposed. If that were to happen, wouldn't it cause problems with your ability to steal again in the future? – she spoke…her words sounded too nice to be true

Not only are you telling me that you'll let me get away with it this time, but I could also continue doing it if I wanted to? – I asked her…

You're free to do whatever you want. I won't get involved with that. In the first place, even if I appealed against you and told you that what you've been doing is not acceptable from a moral point of view, I wouldn't be able to correct your behavior. Or am I wrong? – she spoke and she also hit the nail on the head at the end of her statement which made me a little nervous…

That… Well, I guess… – I said…for some strange reason I stuttered…

Still, I think following my instructions will be anything but boring. That place in your heart that can only be satisfied by stealing… Maybe I can find something else that can take its place—That was my first encounter with Arisu Sakayanagi… 

Ayanokouji's POV

A...how exhausting, it's been a while since I spoke and sat down for so long— Kamuro said as she stretched…I couldn't help but watch as her body shook as she stretched…when she finished stretching she looked at me with the same serious look she had since she started talking… 

In short, I'm a shoplifter—she told me with an amused smile on her face…

Recently too? —I asked her and she stared at me…

I haven't been able to, Sakayanagi has made me work like a dog and I haven't had time to do it—she said as she stretched again… 

Even though it wasn't something she wanted, she didn't seem dissatisfied about it, before Sakayanagi, probably no one had come to Kamuro. She had been suppressing a darkness in her heart, yet it was necessary for Sakayanagi to put Kamuro in a position where he could no longer commit crimes, thus, Sakayanagi cunningly took advantage of her, if Kamuro continued to rob shops, sooner or later, she would be discovered, it wouldn't matter if she stole outside the school campus, but she was doing it within it… 

When the shop eventually notices what's going on with their inventory, it wouldn't take long for them to find out the truth, if that were to happen, Class A would definitely suffer a non-trivial amount of damage just like I did with my actions… 

Is it that coincidences are very common in normal people with these things, although that thought was in my mind I smothered it in that very instant while starting a conversation with Kamuro again… Speaking of which Sakayanagi during the mixed camp exam told me that you and Ichinose had the same secret— I said while looking at her… 

Which means Ichinose is also a shoplifter if everything Kamuro said is true…

That's what I was getting at right now— she spoke… I couldn't help but think of something so I asked her… 

Beyond that, what do you expect by telling me about your past? – I asked her while looking at her… 

Beyond that, Kamuro didn't gain anything by telling me about her past… besides depending on what it might be, it wouldn't be very possible to investigate her past and crimes, in which case Kamuro would suffer alone…

Or, that's what I'd like to say, but I'm not one to criticize Kamuro… I pushed out these irrelevant thoughts of self-identification I'm feeling with Kamuro Masumi right now and looked at her…

I don't particularly like Sakayanagi or Ichinose. But to be honest, the fact that Ichinose has also been stealing hit me hard. She's so incredibly popular that she'd have to be totally satisfied with what she already has, but honestly, the same applies to me— Kamuro scoffed at herself, I stared at her…

I honestly don't understand the feeling she's talking about knowing that Ichinose was a shoplifter like her…

Stop Sakayanagi, you can do it— an unexpected request came out of her lips, stop Sakayanagi… I stared at the girl who asked me this…

Are you saying that you want me to help Ichinose? – I asked her… she looked at me 

Yes, the way things are going Ichinose is going to be crushed for good, I don't mean physically crushed, I'm talking about her heart— she spoke again…

I see— I answered simply…It's hard for me to confirm whether what Kamuro has been saying is true, and it's equally hard for her to prove it - even if the store does notice a difference between their digital stock and their physical inventory, it would still be very difficult to determine the cause. After all, it could be a manual error by a store employee. While she started stealing immediately upon entering, she didn't repeatedly steal the same item multiple times. It was a one-time affair, and I speak from experience… It would be impossible to ask the store to show me the footage from the surveillance cameras, plus that would get me in trouble as well…

The only move I could make was to report Kamuro's theft to the store and the school authorities… but even so, doing that would only be disadvantageous to me, regardless of whether her story is true or not, plus they would also find out what I've been up to, so this option is a definite no…

Even if I assume that what she said is true, I don't want to obediently comply with what she's asking of me. While it's probably true that she's dissatisfied with Sakayanagi, there's minimal incentive for her to betray

Sakayanagi to ask this of an unknown person like me

In which case, what's the point of all this? Thinking about it reasonably, all of this was done under Sakayanagi's instructions, possibly she decided to use Ichinose as a means to initiate a direct confrontation with me.

Do you think I'm lying? — at the end of a long silence Kamuro finally spoke…

To be honest, there is no absolute guarantee of what you said is true — of course since he started talking I knew he wasn't lying, but I hid that fact due to Kamuro's closeness with Sakayanagi, and it could be a trap on Sakayanagi's part… 

In that case I could prove it — Kamuro told me… I stared at her…

Can you? — I asked her…

Probably — she said… as she said she handed me her student ID card…

 She's not trying to steal right now… my thought was answered when I heard the door to my room open and close… 

I sighed heavily…

When I made sure that she really left, I went to my bag and took out the beers that I had stolen this morning…I looked at the expiration date and memorized when it expired…that way when Kamuro comes I will know if she really stole a beer or if she would bring me one that she had stored in her room…

I highly doubt that Sakayanagi wants Kamuro to risk stealing again and getting caught, so it is more likely that she will bring me another beer, to be precise the one she stole when Sakayanagi discovered her or even another one that she has stored…

In the story that she had, I realized one thing…when she told the part where Sakayanagi asked her if she drank regularly, she got nervous and stiff, as if she were lying and the only thing that occurs to me is that she likes to drink alcoholic beverages like me… 

Who would say that she would find someone just like me…

The world really is very small…

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Well my dear readers!!!!

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Sayonara!!!!!!

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