Chapter 107: Off to the Forest School!

By the time Kanade Natsukawa left Kasumigaoka's home, night had already fallen. Without lingering, he returned to his apartment, where a quiet dinner and some lighthearted TV time with Mahiru Shina helped wind down his day. Afterward, they each retired to their rooms for the night.

The weekend, though full of invitations, was spent entirely on organizing the upcoming forest school trip. With his hands tied up in various logistical tasks, Kanade turned down every offer. Before he realized it, the precious weekend had slipped away.

Monday arrived.

On the bus heading to the forest school site, Kanade finished briefing the students on the schedule and rules. Spotting an empty seat, he sat down—only to find himself next to none other than Mahiru Shina.

"..."

"Kanade, you look really tired. Are you okay?" Mahiru's soft voice carried a note of concern.

While the seating arrangement delighted her, she kept her tone low, mindful of the public setting. Displays of affection, even subtle ones, were best avoided in such situations.

"I'm fine, just a little sleep-deprived," Kanade replied, rubbing his temples.

The new and ambitious plan for the forest school had kept him on his toes for days. From liaising with staff to preparing financial reports, the workload had eaten into his weekend, leaving him with barely ten hours of sleep across two nights.

"At least I ended up sitting next to you," Kanade said, smiling faintly.

"I'll take a short nap. Wake me when we arrive or if anything comes up." With that, he reclined his seat and closed his eyes. The steady hum of the bus engine and the murmur of student chatter lulled him into a peaceful slumber.

"..."

Mahiru hesitated. She wanted to talk to him, to offer some energy with her words, but disturbing his rest felt wrong. After a moment of deliberation, she carefully adjusted her posture so his head could rest on her shoulder.

Then, pulling out a small blanket from her bag, she gently draped it over both of them.

Glancing around, Mahiru noticed that no one seemed to be paying attention. Relieved, she allowed herself a quiet smile as her hand lightly rested on Kanade's under the blanket.

When Kanade awoke, the bus was quiet. Peering around, he noticed that the other students and the chaperones were gone, and the vehicle had come to a complete stop.

"Are we... at the campsite?" he asked groggily.

Mahiru nodded. "Yes, everyone else has already started cooking and making curry." She peeked through the window to confirm.

The day's first activity involved preparing lunch, typically curry rice—a staple for such trips. The goal was to encourage teamwork and hands-on learning among the students.

"I didn't wake you because a classmate suggested letting you rest. Everyone agreed it'd be better for you to catch up on sleep," Mahiru explained, her voice tinged with a mix of satisfaction and shyness. She conveniently left out the part where her friends had teased her: "Support him, Mahiru!" and "Don't lose to the President!"

After all, she had her limits when it came to embarrassment.

"Always doing unnecessary things…" Kanade grumbled, though his lips curved into a slight smile. "But I suppose their hearts were in the right place."

The students of Shuchiin really were an endearing bunch.

"Let's not laze around here, though. We should help out," he said, stretching. The nap had done wonders; he felt refreshed, the fatigue melting away.

"Mm," Mahiru replied, standing up alongside him.

As they stepped off the bus, the fresh forest air greeted them. The scent of pine and damp earth mingled with the unmistakable aroma of curry simmering in large pots.

"It's always curry," Kanade muttered with a sigh, recalling last year's trip, where curry rice was also on the menu.

Not that he disliked curry, but it felt repetitive. He had hoped for something different this time around.

"It's convenient, and it's one of the dishes emphasized in home economics," Mahiru pointed out with a smile. Kanade always had these little quirks—getting fixated on odd details like a child.

"Besides, aren't you the same? You enjoy making curry rice because it's so easy, don't you?"

"W-Well, that's a bit different… It's about innovation!" Kanade stammered, trying to defend his stance.

Mahiru tilted her head thoughtfully. "In that case, should I try making something else? I've never cooked with such large pots, but it should be manageable."

Her earnest offer caught him off guard, and he quickly waved it off.

"No, no, that'd attract too much attention. Let's just help gather more firewood. Some groups might run short," Kanade suggested, steering the conversation away.

Mahiru's culinary skills were second to none—she had taught him much of what he knew. Still, the thought of her showcasing her talents to everyone else stirred an irrational twinge of possessiveness.

He preferred it when her cooking was something special, reserved just for him.