Walking alongside Mahiru felt like the most natural thing in the world. Despite their relationship being close enough that they were practically inseparable—save for not spending the night at each other's places—there were still moments like these, where the simple act of strolling together carried an air of quiet warmth.
Thanks to the forest school, they had been keeping a bit of distance to avoid unnecessary attention, but now that they were alone, it was as if the dam had burst. Words spilled out as Mahiru talked endlessly about the little things that had happened over the past few days. Campus gossip, minor annoyances, amusing incidents—she shared them all, while Natsukawa Kanade listened attentively, occasionally throwing in a comment or two. The atmosphere was serene, comforting, like a slow melody played on a quiet evening.
And then, just when everything seemed peaceful—
"Ah! I just remembered something!"
The angel's tone shifted suddenly, from cheerful to… sulky? Her brows furrowed, and her usually soft expression turned into a full pout. "Ugh, just thinking about it makes me mad! I was so scared at the time, but you—you actually did that behind my back!"
"Huh?" Kanade blinked, genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"
She shot him a pointed look, clearly unimpressed by his cluelessness. "You know exactly what I mean! That day in the cafeteria… and then you followed me to the girls' dormitory…"
Kanade's thoughts scrambled as he tried to piece together the memory. And then it hit him.
"Oh… That," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
That day, he had been eating in the cafeteria with Eriri when they happened to run into Mahiru and her group of friends. A conversation had sparked—one that escalated into a confrontation about their past misunderstandings. Afterward, Kanade had gone after Mahiru to the girls' dormitory to comfort her and, in his infinite wisdom, decided to take matters into his own hands. Using Mahiru's phone, he had sent a message to her trio of friends, arranging for a reconciliation talk. He had meant well, but looking at Mahiru's current expression…
"Ugh, I totally forgot about that," he muttered under his breath, already bracing himself.
Mahiru's cheeks puffed up as she huffed, "You went behind my back! You contacted Rin and the others without even telling me! I wasn't ready for that yet!"
Kanade sighed, knowing there was no escape from this.
"Okay, okay, but I wasn't exactly keeping it a secret from you," he tried to defend himself. "I told you right after I did it, didn't I?"
Instead of appeasing her, his words only seemed to make Mahiru's pout deepen. Realizing his mistake, he quickly pivoted.
"A-Anyway, how did the talk go?" he asked, shifting the topic as smoothly as possible.
Mahiru folded her arms, eyeing him suspiciously, but she couldn't resist answering. "Hmph. Of course, we made up. Do you even need to ask?"
Kanade let out an awkward chuckle. "Just making sure. I was worried about you."
Mahiru narrowed her eyes at him. "Really now? If you were so worried, why didn't you ask me about it sooner?"
"…"
Kanade fell silent, realizing he had backed himself into a corner. Why was the angel being so sharp today? He had been expecting a bit of light teasing, not this level of interrogation.
He could tell Mahiru was still a little upset. Perhaps she wasn't actually mad about the message, but rather the fact that he had forced her into a situation she hadn't been emotionally prepared for yet. Even if reconciliation was the best outcome, she might have wanted to handle it at her own pace.
Just as he was about to attempt another apology—
"Pfft—"
Mahiru suddenly giggled, her lips curving into a playful smile. "Alright, alright, stop looking so pitiful. I'm not actually mad at you."
Kanade squinted at her. "…Are you sure about that?"
The angel hummed innocently, tilting her head. "Maybe just a little~"
Kanade resisted the urge to groan. This girl was playing with him.
Still, something felt… off. Normally, Mahiru wasn't this persistent about teasing him. A thought crossed his mind—
Could it be… jealousy?
Had she, perhaps, heard something? Maybe someone mentioned seeing him and Kaguya during the test of courage. Or maybe she had noticed something herself and was now testing him.
In short, she was "jealous."
But Natsukawa Kanade wasn't foolish enough to bring it up himself. If Mahiru hadn't actually heard anything about it, then wouldn't explaining be like stepping into his own grave? No, no—when faced with this kind of situation, the wisest move was to feign innocence. After all, she was an "Angel," so surely she wouldn't be too cruel to him.
And just as he had predicted, the issue didn't escalate. Shiina Mahiru had simply remembered the incident, so she had vented a little and given him a light scolding. But in the end, her tone softened into something more akin to a gentle reminder: "In any case, you're not allowed to do things like that again. At least... let me know in advance!"
Of course, Natsukawa Kanade nodded repeatedly in agreement. He understood that Mahiru wasn't truly angry. She was simply making a point—not to be treated like some clueless little kitten that could be toyed with at will.
How adorable.
"What?" Mahiru wrinkled her delicate nose, eyeing him suspiciously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
She tried to put on a stricter expression, but her slightly puffed-up cheeks and flustered eyes betrayed her. Deep down, she was worried—if she was too stern, would Kanade actually get mad at her?
"It's nothing," Kanade said, dragging out his words slightly, before finally adding, "I just think Mahiru is really cute."
"W-Wha—?!"
Shiina Mahiru let out a small cry of disbelief, her face instantly turning a deep shade of red. Her hands flailed slightly, searching for something—her ever-reliable hug pillow, perhaps—but alas, it was back in her room, far out of reach.
"Y-You... don't just say things like that!"
"But I'm just being honest."
"..."
Mahiru wanted to protest, but the words wouldn't come out. The worst part was that they were standing so close together. If she reacted too much, he might tease her even more. If she turned away too abruptly, he might catch an even clearer glimpse of her blushing face.
No, no! This wasn't fair!
"A-Anyway, you're just saying pretty words. I'm ignoring you now!" she huffed, spinning on her heel and marching away with dramatic determination.
Unfortunately, her pace wasn't as steady as her words. Her wavering steps, the way she hesitated for just a moment before continuing—it was all too obvious. She wanted to escape, but she also wanted him to follow.
Seeing this, Kanade let out a quiet chuckle and swiftly caught up. "That won't do. I can't just let you walk back alone."
"..."
The angel didn't reply. Instead, she turned her head away sharply, pretending not to hear him. But the slight twitch of her ears gave her away.
Even if she wouldn't admit it, she was happy.
***********************
Do girls actually think it through when giving a reply to boys, or do their brains switch to auto when they aren't interested?