108 "I Don’t Want to Be a Background Character"

Chatting with Shiina while working made the time fly by. Even the chores felt lighter.

"Kanade, have you done this kind of thing before? You seem pretty skilled at it," Shiina Mahiru commented, perched on a nearby tree stump. Her hands cradled her cheeks as she watched him skillfully pick up logs, position them, and split them cleanly in one stroke.

"Yeah, I did this back in middle school," Natsukawa Kanade replied, wiping sweat from his forehead. "It was during a school camp. Back then... no one assigned me any tasks, so I wandered over to chop firewood. I couldn't do it at first, so I asked one of the staff to teach me for a few days."

"Just a few days and you mastered it?" Shiina's surprise was evident, rivaling her reaction when she first learned Kanade could cook.

This guy's learning ability is insane!

"Or is it just really easy?" she added skeptically.

Kanade didn't reply but glanced at her before making a suggestion. "Shiina, would you like to try it yourself?"

"Eh? Me?"

"Of course. I'll teach you," he said casually.

Encouraged by Kanade's words, Shiina brushed the dust off her skirt and stepped up to where he had been standing. Taking the axe he handed her, she listened as he demonstrated the proper grip and technique.

"Keep your eyes on the center of the wood, align the axe, then raise it above your head with both hands and swing down forcefully."

The steps were simple enough in theory. However, in practice, it was a different story. Common pitfalls included missing the mark, not using enough strength so the axe got stuck, or using too much and sending wood flying everywhere. Poor posture could even lead to back injuries.

"Relax a little—don't tense up so much. Loosen your muscles and only use your strength during the swing. Don't raise your hands so high... and definitely don't close your eyes. That'll ruin your aim."

Despite Kanade's advice, the "angelic" Mahiru fumbled in the most endearing way. Her tightly shut eyes and tense grip made her seem more like she was bracing for an execution rather than chopping wood. Seeing this, Kanade sighed and stepped closer. Positioning himself behind her, he wrapped his arms around her to guide her movements.

"Like this—keep it steady, raise your hands, and..."

With a swoosh, their combined force split the log cleanly in half. Although the pieces flew farther than necessary, it was a solid start.

"See? It's not that hard. Now you try on your own."

"Uh... um... I still don't really get it. Could you show me again?" Shiina's face was flushed, her excitement from trying something new evident.

Kanade didn't know how to respond. He'd hoped she'd realize how challenging it was, maybe even praise him a little. Instead, the situation had taken an unexpected turn.

But as always, he couldn't refuse her requests. Although their current posture was quite... intimate, as long as no one saw them, it should be fine.

"Kanade?"

Just as he thought that, a third voice interrupted. One that sounded annoyingly familiar.

Kanade froze. Turning, he spotted another blonde girl—Sawamura Spencer Eriri, looking at them with a mix of confusion and indignation.

"W-What are you two... doing?"

Given Eriri's fiery personality, Kanade expected her to bolt from the scene in a flustered panic. Instead, she walked toward them, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable.

"Uh, um... I was... teaching her how to chop wood?" Kanade stammered, his confidence shaken by her sudden arrival.

This should have been a perfectly normal activity, but being caught like this, especially by Eriri, felt strangely mortifying.

"Good afternoon, Eriri! H-Have you eaten yet?"

"N-No, not yet... everyone's getting ready to cook," Eriri replied hesitantly.

The atmosphere was unbearably awkward, leaving both Kanade and Eriri tongue-tied. Fortunately, Shiina remained composed.

"Please don't misunderstand," she began with her usual poise. "Kanade-san was simply teaching me how to chop firewood. That's all."

Her polite demeanor and graceful explanation were convincing—if not for the persistent blush staining her cheeks. Still, it was enough to placate Eriri.

"Oh... oh! I see. I thought you two were... never mind!" Eriri mumbled, her voice trailing off.

Kanade could only think: You totally misunderstood, didn't you?!

But trying to clarify again would only make him seem guiltier. Desperate, he decided to change the subject.

"Why are you here, Eriri? Don't tell me you got lost?"

"Of course not! I was sent to get some firewood," she replied, glancing enviously at Shiina, who stood by Kanade's side.

So lucky... I wish Kanade would teach me like that, too...

"Actually, I'm not very good at chopping wood either. Kanade, could you... um... help me?" Eriri asked hesitantly, her voice softening at the end.

Her original plan to say, "Teach me like you taught her!" was abandoned. It sounded far too... desperate. Especially with Shiina standing right there. One glance at the angelic girl left Eriri feeling utterly defeated.

She looked at Shiina out of the corner of her eye. Shiina Mahiru was the epitome of a boy's ideal—cute, gentle, and kind. Not to mention her title as the universally adored "Angel." Compared to her own self-proclaimed "Ace of the Art Club" status, Shiina's charm felt far superior.

Damn it, I can't compete with this. Why is she blonde, too?! We even have overlapping attributes!

Eriri sank into a self-loathing spiral.

"Of course, no problem," Kanade replied, completely oblivious to her inner turmoil. He thought to himself, Was Eriri bullied into doing this? Who sends a girl to fetch firewood? Even if she's bad at cooking, she could still cheer people on!

"If there's too much for you to carry, I'll help bring some back."

Besides, he thought, it wouldn't hurt to check on her class. If Eriri was being mistreated, he wouldn't stand for it.

"Th-Thanks..." Eriri muttered, feeling dejected. His kind offer wasn't what she wanted. She didn't need help carrying wood—she wanted him to hold her hands, guide her movements, and gently teach her just like he had with Shiina.

But with Shiina present, how could she ever voice such a request?

"...Thank you," she said again softly, her heart sinking.