Kouhei had barely raised his fork to take a bite when Kozue spoke up, her voice carrying an edge.
"I heard earlier that Hina-chan caused quite a commotion because of you."
He paused, his food hovering mid-air, before setting it back on his plate. "Well..."
There wasn't much he could say. It was true—the uproar had been over Sotomura targeting him, and Hina had stepped in to defend him.
Kozue's gaze was sharp, her tone firm. "I get that Hina-chan's enforcing Yuuna-sama's orders to protect you, but are you really so pathetic that you need a girl to stop a bully for you?"
The words stung, slicing through his pride. She was calling him out, saying he wasn't man enough to handle his own battles. And as much as he wanted to argue back, he knew she was right. Hina had been the one to intervene because, at this moment, he had no way to stand up for himself.
But that would change soon enough.
***
