"Kanade… are you sure we're not lost? We've been walking for ages, and we're still not there…" Eriri trailed behind Kanade, her voice tinged with hesitation.
At first, she didn't mind the walk. As long as he was with her, even aimlessly wandering around felt enjoyable. But as the dark, unchanging surroundings stretched on endlessly, doubt began creeping into her heart.
How could they have walked this far without encountering a single other person?
It wasn't like she suspected Kanade of planning anything nefarious. Truth be told, she almost wished he would, just to give her a break from the nerve-wracking monotony.
Still, she couldn't shake her anxiety. A naturally imaginative person, Eriri found her mind racing with possibilities. Adding to her unease, she had to admit—though she hated to—she was a little scared of ghosts. The occasional eerie caw of a crow slicing through the silence didn't help, sending shivers down her spine.
If it weren't for the steady warmth radiating from Kanade's hand, grounding her, she might've already bolted in tears, just like that time before.
This stupid Test of Courage isn't worth it!
Even with him beside her, the oppressive darkness bore down on her relentlessly. She was constantly bracing herself for some sudden scare, her nerves stretched to their limit. At this rate, she'd lose it entirely.
"Uh…" Kanade turned back at her question, his tone calm and reassuring. "We're on the right path. We haven't taken a wrong turn."
He was confident—it wasn't his first time on this route, after all.
"…" Eriri didn't respond, but her doubtful expression lingered.
"It should only be a few more minutes," Kanade added, noticing her unease.
Originally, they could've gotten there much faster, but Kanade had chosen a slower pace for Eriri's sake. Plus, he needed the extra time to recover himself after his earlier exertions. He figured they could take it easy.
But to think Eriri couldn't even manage a stroll! As expected of you, Eriri, Kanade thought with an inward sigh.
He assumed she was just tired and too embarrassed to admit it. It wouldn't be the first time she had hidden her true feelings behind some roundabout excuse.
As for the possibility that she was scared of ghosts, it didn't cross Kanade's mind. While he knew she had a fear of the supernatural, they hadn't encountered anything spooky yet. Besides, Kanade's impression of this Test of Courage leaned more toward puzzle-solving than actual scares.
So, he chalked up her behavior to exhaustion and kindly offered a solution:
"How about we take a short break? Even if your body isn't tired, it's good to rest your mind."
His reasoning was flawless, and as he expected, Eriri immediately nodded in agreement.
See? Kanade thought. Nobody understands Eriri better than me.
Kanade found a relatively clean pile of rocks and carefully guided Eriri over to sit down. Once she was settled, he began inspecting the area for potential hazards, like snakes.
Even though the area had likely been cleared, he wanted to be thorough—just in case.
But the moment he let go of her hand, Eriri grabbed it again, clinging tightly.
"Don't leave me alone…" she pleaded, her voice soft and pitiful.
"Huh?" Kanade froze, then quickly reassured her, "I'm not leaving. I was just going to check the surroundings—"
"Then I'm coming too!"
"Uh… that might be tiring for you…" he tried to reason.
He had planned to extend his inspection just a bit beyond visible range, given they didn't know how long they'd rest. But if he brought Eriri along, they might as well keep walking straight to the next checkpoint.
"I'm not tired!" Eriri insisted with a firm shake of her head.
"…"
Seeing her determined expression, Kanade sighed and sat down next to her instead.
He couldn't leave her alone, but he also couldn't completely neglect their safety. He resolved to keep a sharper ear out for any potential dangers while they rested.
Meanwhile, Eriri's mind was far simpler: she was just relieved that Kanade listened to her and stayed.
Feeling much calmer, she instinctively leaned closer to him, shifting until their arms were almost entwined.
"…?" Kanade glanced at her, puzzled, but said nothing.
Eriri, on the other hand, was ecstatic. She'd been worried her subconscious move to seek comfort might annoy him, but when he didn't seem to mind, her heart soared.
Her earlier fear melted away, replaced by the pleasant scent of Kanade that now enveloped her. But her overactive mind was quick to fill the void:
Nighttime, secluded woods, alone together, a boy and a girl…
The keywords spiraled uncontrollably.
Then, she remembered what had happened before they entered the venue.
Eriri Mode, activate!
No more crying and whining about losing the boy I like! Time to take action!
Fueled by newfound resolve, Eriri boldly reached out with her other hand, grasping Kanade's sleeve and wrapping it around his arm.
Nailed it!
This might have been just a small step in reality, but for her, it was a giant leap in her grand "strategy."
This is progress! Solid, unshakable progress!
Surely, Kanade would start to get the hint now, right?
Gulp.
Eriri swallowed nervously, her heart racing.
And Kanade?
He felt… nothing. Absolutely nothing.
After all, not everyone was as "well-endowed" as certain individuals like Utaha Kasumigaoka.
Sure, compared to Kaguya or Yukino, Eriri might have an edge… but facts were facts.
Kanade always called it like it was.
No feelings. Just facts.