Natsukawa Kanade was frozen, absolutely dumbfounded.
Here he was, bracing himself, thinking that after all that emotional soul-baring, Kasumigaoka Utaha would at least offer something heartfelt. Maybe a few gentle words of comfort… or something deep, literary, and moving, befitting her usual aura.
But what did she actually say?
"I'm not so good-tempered with everyone."
Eeeeh? That's it?!
Seriously, senpai?! Was she for real?! Did she really just say that with a straight face?
Kanade's eye twitched.
Was this supposed to be her showing kindness? If being constantly teased, emotionally manhandled, and used as a verbal punching bag was "special treatment," then honestly, he'd rather not be special at all!
Maybe back in the day, when he was still nursing a crush on her, he might've taken her antics as some kind of twisted affection. But now that he knew she hadn't fallen in love with him back then, there was no way he could keep pretending anymore.
Still, he got it. From her perspective, maybe all the teasing and playful provocations were a sign of closeness. Maybe it was her way of saying, "I trust you enough to drop the facade."
But for him? Being the target of constant ambiguous teasing from a girl like Kasumigaoka Utaha—complete with that sultry, half-lidded stare and sly little smirks—it was pure torture!
He was a very healthy high school boy, thank you very much!
Even if his brain could rationalize her actions, his body… especially down there, had no such filter! It reacted all on its own, like a foolish puppy wagging its tail every time she got too close.
And there were only so many times he could deal with that kind of situation before going out in public without worrying about… accidents.
It was starting to feel like some kind of twisted conditioning experiment. Like he was being trained into becoming Kasumigaoka Pavlov Shiwa's personal pet!
He didn't want that kind of self-discipline! Especially the kind he never asked for but had to cultivate just to survive her presence!
"..." Kanade's expression had turned stiff, his mind spiraling down a shameful rabbit hole of memories he'd rather not revisit. But Utaha, watching him carefully, narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
Something about the look on his face told her that he was thinking about anything but what she had just said.
"…Are you even listening?" she asked, her tone flat but her brow twitching. "I said my attitude towards you is very unique."
"H-hai hai, I get it!" Kanade replied quickly, nodding with mechanical energy. "Loud and clear."
I mean, how could I not? he thought bitterly.
The fact that she enjoyed messing with him more than anyone else? Yeah. Message received. Crystal clear.
As the saying goes: When trouble arises, Kasumigaoka-senpai is your greatest ally.When there's no trouble… she becomes the trouble.
To strangers, she's cold and elegant, like a snow queen from a tragic novel. But to him? She came at him with full force—like a heavyweight boxer in heels and a cute uniform.
He could practically hear the trope alarm ringing: Dere-dere when no one's looking, tsun-tsun when everyone's watching!
"Good." Utaha gave a satisfied nod, lips curling slightly. "As long as you understand."
She had no idea what was actually going on inside his head. If she did, she might've flipped the table—or worse, used it to trap him in one of her mock interrogation sessions again.
From her point of view, Natsukawa Kanade was still the kouhai who understood her best. The one who always hit the bullseye, even when he seemed a little off. Sure, he was clumsy sometimes, especially when it came to romance. But that was a part of him she found oddly endearing.
It was also a part of him she couldn't—and wouldn't—give up.
She truly believed he'd already realized it by now: that he was irreplaceable in her life.
And honestly, the misunderstanding between them had already begun to unravel—not through grand confessions, but through the little things. The subtle closeness, the silent understanding, and her persistent, unspoken care.
I mean, seriously, she thought, what kind of girl keeps hanging around a guy after rejecting his confession?
Especially one who went out of her way to be intimate, physically and emotionally?
Unless she was some kind of natural flirt who enjoyed toying with hearts— (Which she most definitely was not!) —then her actions should've been obvious.
But clearly, Kanade still hadn't accepted that truth.
In Utaha's eyes, the reason for that was simple.
He was still carrying the weight of his failed confession.
She understood. Really, she did.
He had poured his heart into chasing her back then—so honest, so pure, so painfully passionate. And she had turned him down—not because she didn't like him, but because she hadn't figured out her own feelings yet. Because she hadn't yet sorted out her messy, tangled thoughts.
And because she couldn't give him a fake answer, she pushed him away.
"Please come back to me when you're being your real self…" That was what she truly wanted to say.
But she hadn't.
And so, they drifted apart.
Now she could fully grasp his hesitation. His feeling of "this isn't fair." The longing to be the one who's chased,watched, and wanted.
Of course he wouldn't say it out loud. No boy would. Especially not a stubborn, prideful one like Kanade.
But she could feel it—read it—in every word he spoke.
And if that was what he needed…
Then she'd give it to him.
Because love wasn't a one-sided thing. He had once taken all the initiative, so now it was her turn.
That's right. This time, it's my move.
And she had thought everything was going smoothly—until now. Until Kanade's sudden confession just a moment ago, the one filled with vague references to "friends,""emotions," and "liking someone."
That sent every internal alarm in her head blaring.
She knew it. She knew it!
Other cats—sneaky, underhanded little strays—had started creeping into her territory.
She didn't know who they were, or what they'd done to her precious kouhai, but from the way he described those encounters, it didn't sound like they had brought him much happiness.
Still…
It didn't matter what kind of pain they had caused.
Because now that she knew, the path forward was clear.
Strategy speed-up: Initiated.
No one was allowed to steal her Kanade away.
Not when she'd just started chasing him back.
"Then…" Utaha leaned in slightly, her gaze sharp as a drawn blade, "I have one more question. And this time, I want you to answer me seriously."
Natsukawa Kanade flinched at the sudden intensity. His senpai's eyes were locked onto his like she was peering into his soul.
"…And don't lie to me," she added in a low voice, eyes narrowing.
"…Nani?" Kanade blinked, a little caught off guard. But he nodded anyway, despite the rising suspicion in his gut. "Okay, go ahead. Ask whatever you want."
They'd come this far in their awkward emotional back-and-forth—if anything, he wanted the honesty to go both ways. He'd already spilled his heart earlier. Might as well keep the momentum.
Utaha didn't break eye contact. "Those 'friends' you mentioned earlier… Are they all girls?"
"Eh?" Kanade's expression twisted in confusion. What kind of question was that? "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Doesn't matter," she replied instantly. "Just answer. Seriously. Are they, or aren't they?"
"…Uhh, well—yeah, I guess. Mostly, yeah." He scratched the back of his head, glancing aside. "It's not like I planned it that way or anything. It's just… y'know, guys are chill, but we're not exactly into deep talks or emotional stuff. Girls just… get that stuff better."
He paused for a beat, organizing his thoughts.
"Back in the other world—er, before—I didn't have any friends. Not a single one." His voice lowered slightly, as if admitting a dark secret. "All I knew was what anime and games told me: 'love is more powerful than friendship.' So naturally, I kept chasing after that idea like it was some ultimate goal."
"But reality… it's not that simple, right?"
Friendship was so much easier. You didn't have to bleed your soul dry or risk rejection every time you opened up. You could just exist. Laugh together. Be there.
And the best part? It didn't matter if they were girls or boys. Friendship didn't care.
Honestly, once he realized that, it felt like he had unlocked cheat mode on life.
Looking back, the version of himself from that world felt so foolish. He had been desperate to find something precious, but he hadn't even known what that something really was.
Utaha listened carefully, her lips slightly parted as if caught between questions. Her gaze softened ever so slightly, but a flicker of doubt still danced in her eyes.
"…Then how do you feel about those girls?" she asked, her voice quieter now, but with a hidden edge. "Do you… like them? Or do you not? Just be honest. You don't have to sugarcoat it. Actually, I'd prefer you didn't."
Kanade: "…???"
What kind of interrogation was this? Was she a jealous girlfriend now? Or a detective uncovering a conspiracy?
"I mean, can't you ask something more… relevant to what we were just talking about?" he muttered.
"This is relevant!" Utaha snapped, her tone flaring with emotion. "And don't dodge the question, baka! Just answer it, okay? I promise it's the last one. Cross my heart."
Kanade sighed, defeated. "Mou… fine, fine."
If she was gonna be stubborn about it, he'd just lay it out plainly.
"…I guess I like them," he said with a shrug. "I mean, of course I do. They're kind, funny, and they make me feel at ease. Being around them is… easy, you know? It's like—I'm slowly getting addicted to that warmth. That everyday feeling of being seen and heard."
He paused for a moment, a soft smile playing on his lips.
"So yeah. I like them. As people. As friends. And honestly, I'd be totally fine if we just stayed that way forever."
"—!" Utaha froze. For a second, her breath hitched.
That first "like" hit her like a meteor, nearly making her heart leap out of her chest—but the second half of his answer… brought her back to earth with the gentlest landing.
Oh. So that's what he meant.
Not that kind of "like." Not romantic, not passionate—just… platonic warmth.
A harmless, heartwarming "like."
Relief flooded her system like a refreshing wave of mint tea.
"Well then," she said after a beat, flashing a grin that looked suspiciously too smug, "I don't have any more questions. That's everything I needed to know."
Mission complete. She had successfully confirmed the battlefield's current conditions. The other girls might have numbers, but none of them had made it past the surface.
Meanwhile, her little kouhai? He was already caught in her net—entangled, confused, and entirely within reach.
And she could pull him close whenever she wanted. Depending on her mood, of course.
Hmph. Let that fake-blonde reject stew in her regrets.
Utaha's joy radiated like a cat who'd just successfully stolen fish from the kitchen counter.
And Kanade… well, Kanade had no idea what was happening anymore.
From the moment the conversation had started, he thought he was the one in control—laying out his thoughts, explaining his boundaries, trying to get his feelings across with honesty and clarity.
He'd tried to appeal to her logic, gently reminding her to please stop leaning so close and pressing those dangerous soft things against him. He'd even hoped that by opening up, he could create a bridge between their misunderstandings.
But somehow, she ended up hijacking the conversation with a string of weirdly specific questions—and then acting like she'd just won some secret prize.
Seriously… what is with this woman?! Kanade groaned inwardly.
Was she secretly a succubus? A trickster fox spirit sent to torment him?
And now—oh kami-sama—she was leaning on him again.
This yukata… honestly, it wasn't built for this kind of combat.
No matter how you looked at it, it was clearly a size too small to contain all of Kasumigaoka Utaha's… assets. That much had already become painfully obvious during her cosplay act earlier in the evening, especially when she bowed.
Now? Now she was practically glued to his side, her curves pressing against him with an intimacy that could shatter a monk's resolve.
It wasn't a situation a mere mortal like Natsukawa Kanade could handle with composure.
"S-Senpai… I really think you shouldn't get so close…" he muttered, trying to inch away in a feeble attempt to reclaim some personal space.
"Eehh~? Why not, Nii-san~?" Utaha blinked at him with deliberate innocence, her voice dipping into a teasing lilt. "Don't you like Imomao~? I just want to be closer to you, is that so wrong?"
"…!"
Kanade froze.
He didn't answer.
Internally, though?
'Calm down, calm down, CALM DOWN!'
He kept chanting it like a mantra, gripping tightly onto the last threads of his dignity.
If he wanted to stay human, he had to keep it together.
But Utaha wasn't making it easy. In fact, she was enjoying every second of his panic.
"Hmm~? What's with the silent treatment, Nii-san~?" she giggled, inching even closer. "Are you embarrassed or something?"
Without waiting for a reply, she boldly shifted her body, this time completely trapping his arm between her chest.
"Ugh…"
Kanade let out a sound that was somewhere between a groan and a wheeze. His brain was starting to short-circuit.
Utaha, on the other hand, was clearly delighted by the effect she was having.
She glanced at his twitching expression, and her eyes gleamed with playful cruelty.
"Nii-san~ is ignoring me again. That's not very nice," she said in her syrupy-sweet tone. "Guess I'll have to punish you a little… tehe~."
"…!"
Kanade didn't dare react.
Utaha, meanwhile, leaned in with practiced ease, her breath brushing against his ear like a warm breeze.
"You know," she whispered, "closing your eyes like that… it's not very manly, is it?"
Then, without warning, she lightly grazed his earlobe with her teeth—nibbling just enough to make a soft "chu" sound against his skin.
Kanade's whole body stiffened.
He had officially reached DEFCON 1.
If this kept up, his brain was going to melt, and his soul would abandon his body.
"Calm down… calm—"
Too late.
His eyes snapped open as he turned to her with a dangerously serious glare, gritting his teeth as he growled:
"Kasumigaoka Utaha… if you don't stop this right now—"
You're not sleeping tonight.
But before he could finish the threat, salvation arrived in the form of a ringtone.
Brrring! Brrring!
His phone buzzed in his pocket like a divine intervention from the gods themselves.
It was like reality finally yanked him out of a dream-like delusion. His brain instantly cleared up.
Panicking, he pushed Utaha away—gently but urgently—and dug into his yukata to grab the phone.
Only, something else slipped out with it.
Clatter.
A small box fell to the floor and landed squarely between them.
Kanade's expression froze.
Utaha's gaze shifted downward.
Silence fell like a bomb.
"..."
"..."
Both of them stared at the object on the tatami floor, as if it were a live grenade.
Yes.
That.
The very same "just in case" item Kanade had impulsively bought from a vending machine earlier—because who knows, maybe fate would hand him a miracle.
Regret. So much regret.
"U-Um… th-this isn't what it looks like…" Kanade stammered, his face turning several shades of red. "I swear I don't have any weird intentions! I just—! Senpai, please believe me!"
Utaha's eyes widened, cheeks burning crimson.
"A-Ah… well… Kouhai-kun is still a boy after all… I… I can understand…"
Her voice was barely above a whisper now, her confidence having taken a sudden critical hit.
Kanade nearly screamed.
No you don't!! Don't understand!! I really wasn't planning anything! I'm innocent!!
Guh—!
Unable to withstand the unbearable awkwardness, Kanade quickly snatched up his phone and sputtered, "A-A-Anyway! I—I need to answer this call! Urgent!"
He turned to leave.
And immediately slammed into the door.
DUANG.
"…Ugh."
Pain radiated across his forehead, but there was no time to stop.
He flung open the door and ran—no, fled—like his life depended on it.
"Pfft…"
Utaha stared after him.
Then, she covered her mouth with one hand… and started laughing uncontrollably.
But her mischief wasn't quite over.
Glancing left and right, confirming she was alone, she knelt down and picked up the small, fateful box he'd left behind.
"Hmmm…" she mused aloud. "So this is the size, huh…"
Tilting her head, she looked at the numbers on the packaging.
But of course, she didn't know a thing about these kinds of products, so her next step was obvious: pull out her phone and consult the wisdom of the internet.
A few searches later…
"…E-EHHH?!"
Her face turned bright red.
"Th-This… This isn't normal, right?! There's no way something like this would fit…!"
She clutched her phone tightly, heart pounding.
And then, inevitably, the images started forming in her head.
Unstoppable.
Unfiltered.
Unhinged.
"K-Kouhai-kun…" she murmured, her entire body trembling as her imagination spiraled.