"Kanade-kun..."
Megumi Kato seemed visibly shaken, likely moved by his impassioned words.
"Yes, I'm here." Kanade responded earnestly, fully prepared to take on anything that followed.
It didn't matter if Kato wasn't the composed, approachable girl-next-door he thought she was. Even if she turned out to be a two-faced tsundere who masked her irritation behind a perfect facade, it wouldn't change a thing.
Because she was Megumi Kato.
The girl who extended her hand to him when he was lost, teaching him to value himself.
Now it was his turn.
He would teach her that friendships didn't require constant compromise and appeasement, but rather the mutual recognition and exchange between two souls.
"Kanade-kun… you're quite good at giving speeches, aren't you?"
"...Huh?" Kanade blinked in confusion.
He had braced himself for a profound and heartfelt response, yet her first words were... this?
"No, I mean… don't you have anything else to say?"
"Hmm… I think it's almost time for the opening ceremony?" Kato held up her phone, showing him the clock with her usual calm demeanor.
"That's not the point! Well, okay, that's important too, but—" Kanade stumbled over his words, feeling utterly defeated.
It was like preparing all night for a romantic date, only to be stood up the next morning. The frustration and helplessness were unbearable.
He had psyched himself up to act as her emotional "trash can," coming up with multiple ways to console her, only to find her completely unaffected by his earlier speech. It was as if his words had evaporated into thin air.
What kind of stop-short challenge was this?
"This isn't how things should go! You're supposed to, I don't know, at least ask why I said all that just now!"
"Kanade-kun is so straightforwardly selfish, isn't he... Fine, then—why did you say all that to me just now?"
Megumi tilted her head slightly, her face showing a perfectly cooperative yet faintly puzzled expression.
And yet, her seemingly sincere compliance only made Kanade feel more exasperated.
"Don't just barely meet the minimum standard of effort!" He felt like he was being relegated to a comedic sidekick role.
In truth, Megumi's demeanor was a stark departure from the usual gentle persona he knew. Could this be her true self?
Kanade pondered deeply, the possibility intriguing him.
Though Kato hadn't overtly done anything wrong, her words and tone completely deflated his enthusiasm. For the first time, he felt she could genuinely be labeled a "buzzkill."
Thinking back, she had occasionally shown similar tendencies in the club. However, back then, his attention hadn't been focused on her enough to notice.
"Kanade-kun, it feels like you're thinking something rather rude," Megumi noted, lightly frowning.
"No, of course not." Kanade chuckled nervously and shook his head. "Anyway, you're right—it's getting late. I should head to the venue."
"Shall we go together?"
"Hmm... I'll pass. Walking with Kanade-kun might draw too much attention," Kato gently declined, shaking her head.
"It wouldn't be that bad..." Kanade shrugged but didn't press the matter. "Though, I think it'd be nice if you stood out a bit more, Kato. That way, you might make more friends."
"Hmm… if they're the kind of friends who pressure you to join a club and play through three gal games in one night, I think I'd rather not have any more," Kato replied with a slightly troubled expression.
"Cough... Not everyone is as intense as those enthusiasts…" Kanade muttered awkwardly.
Her words brought back memories of their time in the club, enduring relentless recommendations for light novels, manga, and gal games. While Kanade had a genuine interest in ACG content, being forced to consume it like a chore had been exhausting.
He had only managed to endure it back then because of his infatuation with someone in the club. Otherwise, it would've been unbearable.
"Well, I'll head out first. See you tonight." Kanade waved as he walked away.
"Hmm… Do your best in tonight's event, Kanade-kun."
"I will." He nodded, unsure why she was specifically wishing him luck, but he accepted the sentiment.
The walk to the venue was uneventful. When Kanade arrived, there were still about 15 minutes left before the opening ceremony.
He checked his phone to contact Kaguya, only to find several unread messages from her. Most were asking about his whereabouts, while others were reminders about tonight's event.
Kanade sighed. His vice president was truly over-concerned. Even if he had been forgetful, there was no way he'd miss something as important as tonight's activity.
Before he could decide on how to reply, a familiar voice called out to him.
"President?"
Turning, he saw Kaguya Shinomiya standing before him, her usual "business smile" in place.
"I thought you might've been kidnapped. I sent so many messages, but you didn't reply. I was about to gather a search party…"
"No one would kidnap me, though. What would they even gain?" Kanade responded with a sheepish laugh.
Still, her concern was touching.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. On my way here, I ran into a friend and got caught up in conversation. I lost track of time." Kanade bowed slightly, his tone sincere.
"Then why didn't you respond to my messages? Or... was it because of the person you were talking to?"
"Ah, that's probably because of my phone's 'Do Not Disturb' mode," Kanade explained.
"Excuse me?"
"Since we had classes earlier, I turned it on. I must've forgotten to turn it off afterward, so I didn't get any notifications."
"Eh? So you weren't deliberately ignoring my messages?" Kaguya looked genuinely shocked.
"Of course not! Why would I do that?" Kanade asked, confused. "Your phone should've shown the messages as unread... Unless I accidentally touched something while it was in my pocket?"
As Kanade mused aloud, Kaguya froze in place, her mind racing.
Unread messages? Phones can show that? Why has no one ever told me this? Does this mean my lack of tech skills will be exposed to the President?!
"No, no, no, no, no way!" she muttered internally.
"Maybe…"
"Hmm?"
"I mean... maybe your phone accidentally pressed something while in your pocket, and that's why I thought you saw my messages but didn't reply!" Kaguya stated, her tone deadly serious.
"It's totally possible!"
"…"