"Natsukawa-kun, don't you think you have some kind of superpower?"
Breaking the lingering silence between them, Kato's soft voice finally reached him.
"Superpower? Of course not. I'm just an ordinary guy, right?" Natsukawa Kanade let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Seeing that Kato wasn't upset by his earlier words, he relaxed slightly, shaking his head.
"But ordinary people wouldn't notice such things… and they definitely wouldn't be able to describe them so clearly."
She lightly twirled a lock of hair around her finger, her gaze drifting toward him with an unreadable expression. Then, with a graceful step, she continued walking along the lake, her movements carrying the elegance of a cat at ease.
"I didn't know Natsukawa-kun was actually paying such close attention to the way we interact."
"Uh… but you're not mad, right? I kind of implied—"
"Why would I be mad?" She stopped and turned to look at him, her face calm as ever.
"Well… saying that I made you feel ignored… isn't that just a roundabout way of assuming you care about what I think? Doesn't it sound kind of narcissistic?" Natsukawa Kanade scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"But it's the truth."
"Huh?" His brain momentarily short-circuited.
"I did feel left out." She nodded slightly, her expression unchanged.
"Because I helped Natsukawa-kun find Eriri, but I never even got a word of thanks."
"Oh… that's what you meant…" The realization hit him all at once.
Thinking back, it hadn't been that long since then, but he had already pushed it to the back of his mind. That night, Kato had helped him find Eriri by the lake and resolve the conflict between them. It had been a crucial moment, yet in the flurry of emotions and events that followed, he never properly acknowledged her role in it.
Now that she mentioned it, he could see how that might have felt unfair.
So Kato was upset about that? That was… surprising.
He glanced at her, watching as she tucked her windblown hair behind her ear and crouched down to pick a small flower from the grass. She twirled it gently between her fingers, her gaze distant, as if lost in thought.
There was something delicate about the scene, something that tugged at the edges of his mind.
Superpowers… ordinary people… attention…
He mentally pieced the fragments together, forming a picture that, while still blurry, was beginning to make sense.
Given Kato's personality, she didn't seem like someone who would normally dwell on something like this. The only logical explanation was that, deep down, she wanted to be valued.
She wasn't looking for admiration or dramatic gestures—just simple acknowledgment. Just to be treated as an equal.
After all, he hadn't forgotten one of Kato's most defining traits in this world: her natural inconspicuousness. In anime terms, she practically had an EX-rank aura concealment. Unless someone specifically focused on her, she could seamlessly blend into the background, appearing anywhere, at any time, without causing a ripple.
In the past, she had lived a mostly solitary existence, to the point where she easily accepted an invitation to join a club she wasn't even interested in. Perhaps, that was the first time someone had formally invited her to be part of something.
For Kato, this group of people—his group of friends—was precious. She cherished them deeply. And yet, when she saw that he treated Eriri as an equally important friend, perhaps a small pang of jealousy had surfaced. She had never openly shown it, but maybe, just maybe, she had wanted to be noticed just as much.
Because in the end, no matter how composed and mature she appeared, Kato Megumi was still just an ordinary girl.
She wanted to be valued. To be appreciated. To be treated like someone important in the lives of those she cared about.
It finally clicked.
That was why she had reached out to him. Why their friendship had developed so naturally. Why, despite their differences, they had been able to connect so effortlessly.
Because that was what she wanted—friends who wouldn't just see through her, but see her.
And, unknowingly, she had been putting in effort all along, subtly adjusting, making sure her presence was comfortable, easy to accept.
Their seemingly effortless dynamic wasn't just a coincidence—it was something Kato had carefully cultivated, all so she wouldn't be left out again.
She had been adapting to him. All this time.
Realizing that, Natsukawa Kanade felt a complicated mix of emotions. Appreciation, understanding… and maybe, just a hint of guilt.
Because now, he could finally see her for who she really was.
In other words, Kato was probably what people would call a people-pleaser. It's just that it wasn't very obvious because of her usual calm demeanor…
"Natsukawa-kun?" "..." "Natsukawa-kun."
"Ah! I'm here!" Natsukawa Kanade snapped out of his deep contemplation, realizing too late that he had completely zoned out. His overclocked brain had been too preoccupied stringing together everything he had just figured out about Kato.
"I don't mind," Kato Megumi said in her usual soft tone, her voice as steady as ever. "But in general, it's better not to ignore a girl when she's talking to you."
"It matters!" Natsukawa Kanade immediately shot back.
Now that he understood why Kato always adjusted her demeanor around him, he couldn't just let it slide. Accepting her self-sacrificing nature without question would mean enabling an unhealthy friendship—one where she constantly compromised just to maintain balance. That wasn't right.
"Because I ignored you just now, I need to apologize first—I'm sorry!" Without hesitation, he lowered his head in a deep bow, his voice full of sincerity.
Then, before Kato could respond, he lifted his head and fired off his thoughts like an unstoppable barrage:
"But let's get one thing straight—I completely disagree with your way of thinking, Kato!"
"What do you mean 'it's fine' just because it's you? Kato, you're also a girl! Why should you be the only one making so many concessions? Didn't you tell me before that I should allow myself to be more selfish sometimes? Then why can't you do the same?"
"We're friends, aren't we? And if we're really friends, then having conflicts and disagreements is natural! Kato, you don't always have to accommodate others. You should be able to tell me what you're thinking without hesitation. Even if it's just a string of complaints, that's fine! In fact, I'd prefer that!"
"Because that's what friends do—we support each other, we acknowledge each other, and we help each other when we need it!"
"So what if we don't always see eye to eye? That's completely normal! Each of us is our own person, with our own perspectives and emotions. Not everything has to be in perfect harmony, and that's okay. But one thing will never change, no matter what—"
"The fact that we're friends will never be shaken by something as small as a disagreement!"
"..."