After dinner, Natsukawa Kanade took a leisurely stroll by the lake, letting the evening breeze wash away the exhaustion from his day. The faint scent of spring lingered in the air, though the once-blooming cherry blossoms had long since fallen, leaving only lush green trees swaying gently under the amber sky.
As he walked, his thoughts wandered—only to be interrupted by an unexpected encounter.
Standing beneath the flickering streetlight was a familiar figure—Kato Megumi.
Her short, neatly cut hair swayed slightly in the breeze, her uniform skirt fluttering just a little before she pressed it down with a casual grace. If this were some cliché rom-com scenario, she might have flustered, turned red, and asked him, "Did you see?" But no—this was Megumi Kato, the ever-unshaken Saint-classmate. Instead, she simply tilted her head and greeted him in that calm, almost indifferent tone of hers.
"Good evening, Natsukawa-kun."
"Good evening, Kato," Kanade responded naturally. "Have you had dinner yet?"
"Ah." She nodded slightly, her tone as tranquil as the lake beside them.
"Want to take a walk together?"
"Okay."
And just like that, they began walking side by side.
After a moment of comfortable silence, Kanade spoke up. "Have you found your partner yet?"
"Yes, I saw my name on the list posted on the blackboard," Kato replied, her voice carrying the same steady rhythm. "She seems like a very beautiful girl... A little enviable, honestly."
Kanade blinked. "Huh? But Kato, you're cute too. You don't need to envy anyone."
It was a simple truth—there were no unattractive girls in the world of anime, and even if Kato Megumi was known as the passerby heroine, she was still undeniably charming. If anything, her quiet presence only made her more intriguing, more captivating in a way that set her apart from the more outspoken heroines.
However, rather than blushing or showing any visible reaction to his words, Megumi simply responded in her usual cool manner. "As expected of you, Natsukawa-kun. Even though we haven't spoken much lately, you can still say things like this so easily."
"Uh… I'm just telling the truth…" Kanade scratched his cheek awkwardly, suddenly feeling self-conscious. For some reason, Kato's words carried a weight that made his heart skip a beat. Was he imagining it, or was she in a strangely contemplative mood tonight?
"It's a line from a game. No need to look so nervous, Natsukawa-kun."
"Ah… right. Of course." Kanade sighed in relief, finally realizing that she had been teasing him. Seriously, how does she manage to say things like that with such a straight face?
Then, in a rare moment of openness, Kato murmured, "But I'm actually quite happy to hear you say that."
As the last rays of sunlight painted the horizon in deep hues of orange and purple, Megumi took a step forward, turning slightly to face him.
"But is it really okay for you to be spending time with me like this? You're the student council president, after all. Shouldn't you be busy with last-minute preparations?"
Her tone was light, almost teasing, yet there was something genuine in her words.
Kanade shook his head. "It's fine. Everything that needed to be handled has already been taken care of. At this point, all that's left is waiting for the right time to head to the venue."
That was the practical answer. But the real reason he had asked her to walk with him was much simpler—he wanted to.
The funny thing was, despite being part of the same club before, he and Kato had never spoken much. Compared to his interactions with Aki Tomoya, his conversations with her were practically nonexistent. Their dynamic had only shifted after that one rainy afternoon when he had invited her to talk. That conversation had left an impression on him—perhaps because it was the first time someone had so plainly reminded him to focus on himself.
Ever since then, whenever their paths crossed, they'd naturally fall into conversation. It was never forced, never awkward—just two people sharing moments in the flow of daily life.
Of course, compared to his relationship with Kaguya, whom he worked with every day, or Mahiru, who was in the same class as him, his connection with Kato was different. They weren't necessarily close, but somehow, she had carved out a space in his life, her presence both unintrusive and undeniable.
In a way, she was the person Kanade found easiest to talk to. There was no pressure, no expectation—just quiet companionship.
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After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two began to stroll side by side along the shimmering lake. The golden hues of the setting sun reflected on the water's surface, creating a dreamlike scene. The occasional ripple disturbed the tranquil reflection, much like the unspoken thoughts swirling in Natsukawa Kanade's mind.
It wasn't until the opening ceremony was approaching that he decided to voice his lingering curiosity.
"Maybe it's just my imagination... but every time I see you, Kato, you give off a different feeling," Natsukawa Kanade mused aloud, his gaze shifting toward her.
Kato Megumi blinked, her calm brown eyes reflecting the evening glow. "Oh? Can you describe what kind of feeling that is?"
Her tone was as composed as ever, but a subtle glimmer of curiosity flickered in her eyes. Kanade hesitated for a moment, then carefully arranged his words.
"Well... for example, when school just started, you gave off the impression of someone incredibly mature—like an adult I could rely on. No matter what I said, you always had the perfect response," Kanade explained thoughtfully.
Kato nodded slightly but said nothing, allowing him to continue.
"Then there was the time we ran into each other at the supermarket. It was like—" He paused, searching for the right words. "—suddenly, we were old friends who could talk about anything. It felt completely natural."
Kato hummed softly, her expression unreadable. Kanade, feeling a bit more emboldened, went on.
"And then, there was that time I ran into you when Mahiru and I were at the mall together. You were whispering to her, and then—somehow—Mahiru ended up changing into that stunning lolita outfit. It was almost like... you were playing the role of a 'love strategist.'"
Saying it out loud made the realization hit him harder. He looked at Kato with slight disbelief. "You didn't... give her advice, did you?"
Kato tilted her head slightly, but her face remained as expressionless as ever. "Whatever do you mean, Natsukawa-kun?"
Kanade exhaled, rubbing his temples. "I mean, it suddenly hit me—was the reason Mahiru and I ended up growing closer because of you? Were you orchestrating things from the shadows?"
Now that he thought about it, the opportunity for Mahiru and Kato to become friends had seemed so natural—too natural. Could it be that Kato, as a so-called 'love strategist,' had given Mahiru advice?
But that didn't make sense.
To Kanade, Kato had always seemed like someone who bypassed the concept of 'love' altogether, someone who could effortlessly slip into a deep relationship without all the usual awkwardness and hesitation. To think of her as a matchmaker... well, it felt surreal.
Still, the idea gnawed at him. Had he unwittingly been pulled into Kato's carefully woven web?
Feeling slightly conflicted, he moved on to his final thought. "And then today... uh..." Kanade hesitated, suddenly unsure if he should continue.
Kato blinked again, her expression unwavering. "Why did you stop? Please, continue."
Kanade fidgeted slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just... I don't want you to get the wrong idea or be mad at me."
"Oh?" Kato's lips curled into the faintest hint of a smile. "That depends on what you're about to say."
Kanade sighed. He was already in too deep.
"It's like... today, you feel a little different again. Like—like a friend who has been ignored for too long and is a little bit... dissatisfied?"
The word he originally wanted to use was "girlfriend," but that would have been way too dangerous. Even with someone as easygoing as Kato, throwing around a word like that would be crossing into dangerous territory. It wasn't that he was scared of Kato getting mad—it was just that he didn't quite understand what he himself was thinking.
After he finished speaking, he immediately glanced at Kato's expression to gauge her reaction.
But—nothing.
She just looked at him with the same tranquil expression as always. There wasn't even the slightest twitch in her eyebrow.
Silence.
The longer she remained quiet, the more nervous Kanade became. Was she actually mad? Had he crossed a line? His palms grew slightly clammy as he waited for her to say something—anything.
"..."
Kato simply stared at him. For an uncomfortably long time.
Kanade gulped.
Maybe—just maybe—he should have kept that thought to himself.