The walk with Mahiru was rather uneventful.
As neighbors, their relationship was already so close that they spent nearly all their time together, except for sleeping in each other's homes at night. They were so familiar with one another that there was hardly anything they couldn't talk about.
Still, because of the forest school event, they had avoided prolonged interactions to steer clear of misunderstandings. Now that they finally had the chance, it felt like they were trying to pour out all the pent-up thoughts and feelings from the past few days in one go.
Even so, their conversation revolved around mundane school happenings. Mahiru did most of the talking, sharing anecdotes and little events, while Kanade listened attentively and occasionally chimed in.
The atmosphere wasn't lively, but it was warm and comforting.
"Ah, I just remembered something!" Mahiru suddenly exclaimed, her cheerful expression giving way to an adorable pout. "Ugh, just thinking about it makes me angry! How could you do that behind my back?!"
Her abrupt shift caught Kanade off guard.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Kanade blinked, puzzled by her sudden complaint.
There had been so many things going on… No, he couldn't recall doing anything that would warrant such anger.
"I'm talking about that day! In the cafeteria! Then you even chased me to the dorms afterward…" Mahiru puffed her cheeks, clearly upset. "How could you secretly contact Suzune and the others like that? I wasn't even ready to talk to them yet!"
"Ah…" Kanade scratched his head, finally remembering what she was referring to.
That day, while dining with Eriri in the cafeteria, he had run into Mahiru and her "girl squad." A misunderstanding about him had escalated into an argument between the girls, which inevitably dragged him into the fray.
After understanding the situation, Kanade had gone to the dorms to console Mahiru and, in the process, used her phone to send a message to her friends proposing a reconciliation meeting. He'd left shortly after without giving her much time to prepare.
Given the recent whirlwind of events, it had slipped his mind until now.
"Uh… I wasn't exactly keeping it a secret. I did tell you right after, didn't I?" Kanade tried to explain, but seeing Mahiru's expression darken further, he quickly added, "So… how did that conversation go?"
Kanade already knew they must have reconciled; otherwise, Mahiru would have brought it up before now. Her friends were kind-hearted and thoughtful, and the question was more to steer the conversation elsewhere.
Sure enough, Mahiru confirmed his assumption. "Of course, we made up. That goes without saying."
"Ahaha… I was just worried about you," Kanade said sheepishly, relieved that the topic had shifted slightly.
"Really?" Mahiru glanced at him sideways. "If you were so worried, why are you only asking me about it now?"
"…" Kanade fell silent, mentally yelling Not good!
Why was today's Angel being so assertive?
He could tell Mahiru was still upset—likely annoyed that he had acted without consulting her, effectively forcing a reconciliation she might not have been ready for.
While Kanade thought his actions were well-intentioned, from Mahiru's perspective, it probably felt like being pushed onto the stage without proper preparation.
"Pfft…" Mahiru suddenly let out a small laugh.
"Alright, alright. Stop looking so pitiful. I wasn't really mad at you."
"…" Kanade wasn't entirely convinced. Aside from their early acquaintance, Mahiru rarely used this kind of tone with him.
He even started to suspect there might be something else at play—perhaps someone had mentioned seeing him with Kaguya during the test of courage, and Mahiru had overheard it…
In short, was she jealous?
Kanade couldn't outright address it, though. If Mahiru wasn't aware of anything, bringing it up would just incriminate himself.
For now, playing it safe was the best strategy. After all, Mahiru was kindhearted—she wouldn't hold a grudge for too long.
As expected, Mahiru merely wanted to chide him briefly, reminding him to consult her next time. She "warned" him with a gentle smile, "Just don't do something like this again, okay? At least… tell me beforehand!"
Kanade quickly nodded in agreement.
He understood perfectly—Mahiru wasn't genuinely angry. She was putting on an act to gently remind him not to keep things from her. It was her way of asserting that she wasn't some fragile kitten he could manipulate at will.
Adorably assertive, Kanade thought.
"Why are you looking at me like that all of a sudden?" Mahiru wrinkled her delicate nose, wondering if her stern act hadn't been convincing enough.
But if she acted any stricter, what if Kanade got upset?!
"It's nothing," Kanade said, drawing out his words. Under Mahiru's suspicious gaze, he added meaningfully, "I was just thinking… Mahiru is really cute."
"Wha—!" Mahiru squealed, her face instantly flushing red.
Her hands flailed aimlessly, searching for something to hide behind. Unfortunately, her trusty pillow—which usually served as her shield—was back in her dorm room. She had nothing to block her face or use to protest.
"Y-you… don't say such things out of nowhere!"
"I'm just being honest."
"…"
Though they weren't far apart, Mahiru felt an overwhelming urge to headbutt him—partly to hide her blushing face, though that would bring her even closer to him. This wasn't her cozy home, and without a way to obscure his view, she had no idea how to handle the situation.
"Hmph! You're just good at spouting pretty words. I'm ignoring you now!" She turned resolutely, refusing to look at him, and began walking back in the direction they had come.
She didn't want to stay here any longer. She wanted to retreat to her dorm room, where she could calm down.
Watching her flustered steps, Kanade couldn't help but smile. He quickly caught up with her.
"That won't do. I can't let you walk back alone."
"…"
Mahiru kept her head turned stubbornly, but the faint redness of her ears betrayed her.