"Natsukawa-kun..."
Kato's voice was softer than usual, almost as if she was hesitating, her usual calm shaken.
"Yeah, I'm here." Natsukawa Kanade responded immediately, his tone firm.
He was prepared for whatever came next.
It didn't matter if Kato Megumi wasn't actually the unshakable, composed girl she always appeared to be. It didn't matter if, deep down, she was just as insecure as anyone else, hiding behind carefully measured words and small, almost imperceptible gestures.
Because at the end of the day—
She was still Kato Megumi.
The same girl who had reached out to him when he was lost, the one who had shown him how to value himself in ways he never had before.
And now, it was his turn.
He wanted her to understand—she didn't need to constantly accommodate others, didn't need to go out of her way to make everything "comfortable" for those around her. True friendship wasn't about quiet sacrifices; it was about two people seeing each other for who they truly were and choosing to stay.
"Natsukawa-kun... you really are a talented speaker."
"...Huh?"
He blinked, utterly thrown off. That… was her reaction? After everything he had just said?
"No... Kato... don't you have anything else to say?"
"Well... isn't it almost time for the opening ceremony to begin?" She lifted her phone and tilted it slightly in his direction, her expression as unreadable as ever.
"That's not— No, okay, fine, that's also important— But that's not the point!" Natsukawa Kanade sputtered, suddenly feeling like he was losing control of the situation.
This wasn't how this was supposed to go!
It was like gearing up for an epic final battle, only to find out that your opponent decided to call in sick at the last minute. Or like receiving a long-awaited reply from your crush, only to realize it was just a generic "thanks" with no follow-up.
The sheer frustration!
"Things shouldn't be like this! Shouldn't you at least react more… I don't know, emotionally? Or ask why I even said all that in the first place?!"
"Natsukawa-kun really is willful…" Kato mused, her gaze soft but unreadable. "Well, then—why did Natsukawa-kun say those words to me just now?"
She even tilted her head slightly, adding an extra layer of exaggerated curiosity, as if she were merely indulging his outburst.
"D-Don't just ask like you're following a script!" Kanade practically whined, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
He had braced himself for a deep, soul-searching conversation—maybe even a tearful revelation—but instead, Kato had effortlessly sidestepped the entire moment like a seasoned pro.
Maybe this was just how she was. Maybe this was the real Kato Megumi.
The thought sent a jolt through him.
All this time, he had assumed she was just naturally reserved, naturally easygoing. But what if that wasn't the case at all? What if she was simply that good at controlling the flow of a conversation, at steering things in whatever direction she wanted?
What if she had been doing this all along?
A chill ran down his spine at the realization.
"I feel like you're thinking something rude, Natsukawa-kun." Kato's voice snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts.
"No way, of course not!" He forced a smile, shaking his head. "But… you're right, we should get going. It'd be bad if we were late."
"Want to walk together?" she asked casually.
Kanade hesitated for a moment before nodding, only for Kato to shake her head slightly.
"Actually… I think I'll go on ahead. If I walk with you, we might attract too much attention."
"Eh? It's not that exaggerated…" Kanade muttered, crossing his arms. "Besides, wouldn't it be good if you stood out a little more? Maybe you'd make more friends that way."
"Mm… but if they're the kind of friends who force you to finish three gal games overnight, I think I'd rather stay in the background," Kato said with a hint of amusement.
Kanade coughed awkwardly. "Ahem… Not everyone is that extreme…"
The conversation stirred up a wave of nostalgia in Natsukawa Kanade. His mind wandered back to the days they spent in the club, when he and Kato were bombarded with recommendations—light novels, manga, gal games, you name it. Back then, his daily routine wasn't just about keeping up with schoolwork. No, it was a full-on immersion into the ACG world, practically a lifestyle. And while he genuinely enjoyed it, even he had to admit that grinding through one game after another, as if completing a checklist, was exhausting.
The only reason he endured it all? Pure, unadulterated devotion. He was fueled by the heart-throbbing idealism of a boy hopelessly in love. If it weren't for that, he probably wouldn't have lasted a week in that kind of life.
"Well then, I need to hurry to the venue. I'll see you in the evening," Kanade said with a casual wave.
"Mhm. Do your best in tonight's event, Natsukawa-kun."
"...Eh?" He blinked, a little caught off guard. "Uh, yeah, thanks."
He wasn't sure why she'd specifically encouraged him, but hey, he wasn't about to reject a bit of good luck.
The walk to the venue was quiet, a rare moment of peace before the storm. By the time he arrived, there were still about fifteen minutes before the opening ceremony. Just as he pulled out his phone to check in, he noticed several unread messages from Kaguya Shinomiya. Most were her usual questions about his whereabouts, but mixed in were reminders not to forget tonight's gathering.
Kanade sighed, a small smile playing on his lips. His vice president really worried too much. Even if he was absentminded at times, there was no way he'd forget something as important as tonight. If anything, the air around him kept serving as a constant reminder. His mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of his planned meeting with Eriri and Mahiru all day. The anticipation alone made it impossible for him to forget.
Just as he pondered how to reply, a voice suddenly rang out beside him.
"President."
A familiar, composed voice. He turned, only to be met with the sight of Kaguya Shinomiya standing before him, her signature businesslike smile in place.
"I was starting to think you'd been kidnapped. No matter how many messages I sent, you didn't reply. I was this close to sending a search party."
Kanade let out an awkward chuckle. "I don't think I'd be worth the effort. I mean, I doubt anyone would gain much from kidnapping me."
Ah yes, classic Kaguya. Even her jokes carried an air of intimidation.
Noticing that her expression hadn't softened in the slightest, Kanade decided to address the issue head-on. "Sorry for making you wait. I ran into a friend on my way here and got caught up in conversation. I completely lost track of time."
When in trouble, stand at attention and apologize immediately. This was a principle Kanade had learned the hard way, and he wasn't about to forget it now.
After all, he had, in a way, abandoned Kaguya to handle things on her own while he enjoyed an unexpected detour. From a purely logistical standpoint, it wasn't exactly fair to her. Even if his delay was accidental, it didn't change the fact that she had every right to be annoyed.
"I see. Then why didn't the president respond to my messages?" Kaguya inquired, tilting her head slightly. "Could it be… because of the person you were talking to?"
Kanade blinked. "Huh? No, that's not it at all. I just… didn't get any notifications."
"...Eh?" For the first time, Kaguya looked genuinely confused.
"Since I had morning classes, I put my phone on 'Do Not Disturb' mode. I forgot to turn it off afterward, so I never got any notifications." Kanade explained matter-of-factly.
Kaguya stiffened.
"Wait… Are you telling me… you weren't deliberately ignoring me?" she asked, eyes wide with disbelief.
Kanade frowned. "Why would I ever ignore your messages on purpose?"
Kaguya didn't respond immediately. Instead, she seemed lost in thought, as if processing this revelation was proving more difficult than expected.
"Strange," she muttered to herself. "Unread messages should still appear on the home screen, though. Could it be that… the president's phone accidentally tapped on them while in his pocket?"
Kanade considered the possibility for a moment. "I guess that's possible."
Silence.
A very… ominous silence.
Kaguya's expression shifted almost imperceptibly. A flicker of unease crossed her usually composed face. A horrifying realization dawned upon her.
Unread messages display on the home screen?
Why… had no one ever told her this before?
Did this mean… the president could see every message she sent immediately? Wouldn't that mean he had already read through her previous ones at a glance? And if that was the case…
No. No, no, no, no, NO! She couldn't allow that to happen!
Kanade tilted his head. "Kaguya?"
She straightened up, regaining her composure with impressive speed. "I mean..." she said, her voice calm but forced, "because the president's phone was in his pocket, there's a high chance it accidentally tapped on my messages, leading to my misunderstanding that he deliberately didn't respond."
She folded her arms, nodding as if trying to convince herself.
"Yes… It's entirely possible!"