123. I’ve Been Totally Seen!

The area by the small lake wasn't particularly large, so Kanade Natsukawa reached it after just a short walk. Sure enough, as Megumi Kato had said, there was a blonde-haired girl squatting by the lake. She seemed lost in thought, plucking at a flower absentmindedly—whether pondering life or something else entirely, he couldn't tell.

"..."

Good thing I found her, Kanade thought, taking a moment to collect himself before approaching cautiously.

"Dislike me, don't dislike me, dislike me..." Eiri Spencer Sawamura muttered, tugging petals from the flower one by one.

"Eiriri," Kanade called softly.

Though his voice wasn't particularly loud, it startled Eiri enough to make her jerk upright. The delicate flower in her hand broke apart, its petals scattering to the ground. In her flustered state, she stumbled and nearly fell into the lake.

"Careful!" Kanade reacted instantly, catching her and pulling her into his arms.

"!"

For a moment, she stayed still, but then she began to squirm like a cornered rabbit trying to escape a hunter. Her legs kicked frantically as if she feared becoming someone's dinner.

"Don't move," Kanade said firmly.

That did the trick. Eiri stopped struggling and looked up at him with a pitiful expression, her watery eyes glimmering as if on the verge of tears.

"..."

Kanade hadn't expected such a small, offhand remark to cause this much damage to someone uninvolved. Was this even reasonable?

"L-let me go," Eiri sniffled, her voice soft and shaky.

Their position was, admittedly, rather compromising. Fortunately, it was still early, and no one was around. Otherwise, the next day's campus headline might well read: "Student Council President's Early Mornings Revealed to Be Secret Rendezvous with Girlfriend!"

True or not, Kanade could already feel his reputation taking a hit.

"Only if you promise not to do anything foolish," Kanade said sternly.

He didn't truly believe Eiri was planning anything drastic. The scattered petals were evidence enough—she'd likely been plucking flowers while debating something trivial, like whether he disliked her.

It was a silly gesture, but somehow it suited Eiri's slightly airheaded and adorably clumsy personality.

"Hah? As if I'd do something like that..." Eiri started, then abruptly stopped. A fleeting memory of her considering whether to jump into the lake and sulk crossed her mind.

"Pfft, you actually thought about it?" Kanade chuckled, unable to hold it in. His laughter earned him a sharp glare from Eiri.

"S-stop laughing! It's not funny!" she snapped. Yet her tone softened as her gaze drifted away.

Her mind returned to the cafeteria—his words ringing in her ears: "Tsundere is so out of style!"

The phrase had struck her like a bolt of lightning, shaking her to her core. Her mood sank further, and she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.

"See? I'm just a nuisance. Leave me alone. Let me be by myself—"

"That's not happening," Kanade interrupted firmly. He had chased after her out of genuine concern, and it seemed he had made the right call.

"Let me put it plainly. That comment was just me teasing my friend. He's a guy, but he acts tsundere sometimes, and it's hilariously out of character. That's all I meant."

Kanade's candid explanation was straightforward, focusing on the key points. When he finished, Eiri visibly relaxed, though her expression remained a mix of relief and awkwardness.

"So... you're saying you don't hate me?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course not. Why would I hate you, Eiriri?"

From any angle, Eiri was impossible to dislike. Even her tsundere tendencies were part of her charm. In fact, they only made her more endearing—something worth treasuring and cherishing.

"But I—I'm always saying mean things to you," she stammered, clearly self-conscious. Deep down, she knew her sharp tongue was an issue. She regretted it almost immediately every time, yet she couldn't stop herself. Her tsundere nature was reflexive, beyond her control.

How could someone like her ever hope to surpass Kasumigaoka Utaha? She couldn't even avoid annoying Kanade. Surely, he must be growing tired of her.

"It's fine," Kanade reassured her. He hadn't expected her to bring this up herself; he'd always assumed she was too proud to admit it. "I know you don't mean it. It's just... your way of hiding your embarrassment, right?"

"!" Eiri's face flushed crimson. She felt as though her deepest, most carefully guarded secrets had been laid bare. Had she been that obvious all along? No wonder Kanade had always seemed unfazed by her outbursts—he'd known she wasn't truly angry!

But if he'd realized that... did he also know about her other feelings? Like how she'd... started to like...

"Y-you don't need to say it out loud!" she blurted, her shame reaching critical mass. She clapped her hands over Kanade's mouth, cutting him off. "Forget it! Forget everything I said!"

"Hmph! Don't even think about remembering it!" she added, her voice rising in panic. She thought she wanted him to notice her feelings, but now that he might have, she wasn't ready to face it.

"..."

Kanade, for his part, had no idea what was going through her mind. He only knew she was now flailing her small, cold hands at his face. When that failed to satisfy her, she resorted to using her twin tails as impromptu weapons, smacking him repeatedly like a well-practiced move.

"Alright, alright, calm down!" Kanade finally said, grabbing her wrists to stop the onslaught. He hadn't expected her reaction to be so over the top—she was the one who had brought this up!

After a brief scuffle, Eiri's movements grew weaker. She was clearly exhausted, her stamina depleted. For a shut-in otaku, the fact that she'd managed to struggle this much was a testament to her determination.

"D-don't remember anything..." she murmured breathlessly, clutching his shirt weakly.

"I'm not. My mind's a total blank," Kanade replied, trying to give her a reassuring look, though he wasn't sure how well it came across.

"Pfft, you look so silly," Eiri said, rolling her eyes. Despite herself, his goofy expression lightened her mood.

Seeing this, Kanade let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had managed to cheer her up—not just for her sake, but for his own, too.

After all, he couldn't very well return to the dorm with his face scratched and bruised, claiming, "It was just a playful kitten."