They say that girls who have been comforted are the easiest to deceive. But Natsukawa Kanade had no intention of deceiving anyone—especially not Mahiru. He just wanted her to feel safe, to make it easier for her to open up to him.
And the proof of that was right in front of him.
Curled up like a kitten, Mahiru sat obediently in his arms, allowing him to gently comb through her soft, golden hair. The strands were slightly tangled, no doubt from her having hidden under the covers for so long. This was the perfect chance to smooth them out.
For Mahiru, this was an unexpectedly peaceful moment—one where she could relax completely, leaning against someone she trusted, without the need for words or worry. All she had to do was bask in the simple warmth of his presence.
"Mahiru... can you tell me what happened? I'm worried about you," Kanade asked gently, his voice filled with concern.
Mahiru hesitated, her fingers clutching the hem of her sleeve. But after a brief silence, she slowly began to explain, though she carefully avoided mentioning certain details—especially the ones that involved him directly.
Not yet, she thought. Not now.
That kind of thing should be said on a more fitting occasion—one where they could look only at each other…
A strange warmth filled her chest at the thought, leaving her momentarily dazed.
"Kanade... do you think I'm stupid?"
"Yeah, a little," he replied bluntly, nodding ever so slightly.
Her eyes widened. "Wow! You actually said it?!"
To him, though, it was a charming kind of foolishness. After all, who else would give up their own plans just because they were worried about embarrassing someone else? And to top it off, she even ended up fighting with her friends because of it.
It was almost absurd.
Only Mahiru would be this kind, this considerate, this angelic.
Pouting, she puffed out her cheeks in protest. "You're so mean!"
Then, without warning, she lightly bumped the back of her head against his chest in retaliation.
Of course, it wasn't hard at all—she was too gentle to ever actually try to hurt him.
"Heh, is that supposed to be punishment?" he teased.
"Hmph!" She huffed but didn't move away.
Kanade chuckled softly, then his voice turned more serious. "But, Mahiru… don't do something that foolish again, okay?"
"..."
Seeing that she wasn't responding, he continued, his tone filled with quiet sincerity.
"I appreciate that you were thinking about me, really. But you don't have to be afraid to come to me because of it. You know I've never once felt embarrassed by you. If anything, it's the opposite. I'm honored to have been invited by you."
Her heart skipped a beat. "W-Well… I told you not to call me that…"
She pretended to be upset, but deep down, she didn't really mind. Today, being called "angel" by him felt different—almost like a secret between them. She knew that, unlike others, Kanade never treated her like someone untouchable or out of reach. To him, she wasn't a distant figure to be worshipped—just a girl.
That was why she could trust him.
"Anyway, Mahiru," he murmured as he gently combed through the last strands of her hair, "just rely on me, alright? As much as you want."
Satisfied with his work, he nodded, placing the comb aside.
"Of course, in return… you'll have to continue spending time with me like this."
"..."
Mahiru didn't respond immediately. She just sat there, her fingers curled around the fabric of his shirt.
Because she knew.
Simply being like this—just getting along as friends—would never be enough. One day, she'd reach her limit. One day, she'd have to tell him the truth. One day, she'd have to face the consequences of how she truly felt.
But until then… she would keep trying.
Trying to make him like her.
Trying to make him need her.
Trying to make sure that, when the time came, he wouldn't be able to leave her side.
"Alright, now that we've settled things between us, it's time to talk about what you're going to do, Mahiru," Kanade said, breaking the silence.
Feeling restless, he absentmindedly placed a hand on top of her head, lightly stroking her hair. It was a habit he had developed over time—whenever he was with her, he always wanted to do something with his hands.
Mahiru didn't seem to mind. She simply tilted her head slightly, as if asking him a silent question.
"My matter?"
"Of course. Did you already forget about the fight with your friends?" Kanade raised an eyebrow.
To him, that was the entire reason this whole thing had started. What happened between them was just a side note—a trigger for the real issue.
"..."
Mahiru bit her lip, suddenly feeling guilty.
Now that she thought about it… ever since Kanade had arrived, she hadn't been thinking about the fight at all.
Not even once.
Instead, her mind had been completely occupied with something else.
The image of him standing in the cafeteria with that cute girl.
So… did that mean she valued love over friendship?
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment at the thought.
"Th-Then… Kanade, what should I do?"
Alone, she would have simply mustered up the courage to apologize like she had earlier. But she wasn't even sure if they would listen. She had no idea if they would even accept her apology.
But now… now she had someone beside her.
Someone she could rely on.
And so, she placed all her hopes in him.
"What do you think, Mahiru? Can't we just apologize to them directly like we did just now?"
"But... I'm a little scared. What if they don't want to listen to me anymore...?"
Mahiru's voice was barely above a whisper, her fingers lightly clutching the hem of her sweater. The uncertainty in her golden eyes made Kanade pause for a moment.
"Hmm..." Natsukawa Kanade tilted his head slightly. He could understand her anxiety, but in reality, he felt her concern was unnecessary. If those three didn't care about her, they wouldn't have come to him in the first place.
If they were truly done with her, why would they go through all the trouble of approaching him?
"Mahiru, do you trust me?"
"Of course." She nodded immediately, without the slightest hesitation, as if the thought of doubting him had never even crossed her mind.
Kanade smiled faintly at her unwavering trust. "Then leave it to me. I'll create an opportunity for you to talk with them, but what happens after that is up to you."
He could act as the bridge to reconnect them, but ultimately, Mahiru had to face them on her own. If he stepped in too much, the reconciliation wouldn't be genuine. Friendship had to be rebuilt by those involved, not by an intermediary.
"...Okay." She exhaled softly, nodding once again. A hint of relief settled in her expression, as if simply knowing he was supporting her gave her courage.
In that moment, Mahiru realized something profound—she truly couldn't be without Kanade. As long as he was by her side, all of her fears and doubts seemed to dissipate. The world wasn't so scary when he was in it.
"Thank you, Kanade."
"No... I should be the one thanking you."
Kanade's voice was gentle, almost wistful. Mahiru blinked in confusion and tilted her head.
Thank me? For what?
She wanted to ask, but before she could, Kanade had already risen to his feet.
"It's getting late. I should go." His voice had regained its usual calm tone.
Mahiru's eyes widened slightly. She had been so focused on their conversation that she hadn't realized how much time had passed. And considering where they were—her dormitory—it was probably for the best that he left before anyone started asking questions.
Not to mention, he was going to be extremely busy soon.
Kanade had a mountain of responsibilities awaiting him. As student council president, he had to oversee the entire conference, coordinate various departments, and make sure everything ran smoothly. On top of that, he had somehow gotten himself roped into multiple events—thanks to Kaguya, Eriri, and now, Mahiru.
With three different matches to participate in and an entire school event to manage, his schedule was beyond packed. If he didn't start planning now, there was a real chance he'd be running around in pure chaos later.
But before he left—
"Mahiru, can I borrow your phone for a second?"
"Huh? Oh, sure..." She handed it over without hesitation, though she wasn't sure what he needed it for.
Kanade took her phone with practiced ease, scrolled through her contacts, and quickly found the leader of the trio among the few names saved. Without wasting a moment, he typed out a message and hit send.
"Done." He returned the phone to her and gave her a satisfied nod. "I've arranged a meeting for you. You'll be seeing them here, in your room. Just wait for them."
"Huh?!" Mahiru stared at him in disbelief.
Wait. What? Just like that?!
She clutched her phone like it was a ticking time bomb. He had used her phone to send the message?! Wasn't that too direct?!
Before she could protest, Kanade turned back to her with an amused expression, clearly seeing through her panic.
"I didn't have their contact info, and I might not run into them again before the event starts. But you guys are roommates—it's not like you can avoid each other forever." He shrugged. "This was the most efficient way."
Mahiru opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. Well... technically, he had a point. But still!
"Anyway, I really have to go now. I'll contact you once the conference starts tonight, so don't worry." He took a step toward the door, then suddenly paused. "Oh, and just a heads-up—I might be a little late since I have a ton of things to handle. But don't worry, I'll definitely keep my promise."
His words were calm, reassuring. And when he turned back to look at her, his expression was gentle.
Mahiru felt her heart skip a beat.
Before she could say anything, Kanade had already stepped out, the door clicking shut behind him.
"..."
Left alone in the silent room, Mahiru hugged her phone to her chest, feeling an odd warmth lingering in the air where he had just been.
Geez... he really doesn't give people time to prepare, does he?
Despite her grumbling thoughts, a soft smile found its way onto her lips.