No matter how you looked at it, Eriri's figure was petite—delicate even—and her weight was just as light. Sitting on his back, she barely felt heavy at all. Of course, that might have been because Natsukawa Kanade's mind was preoccupied with something else, making reality seem a little hazy to him.
"Is it not over yet?" Kanade mumbled, feeling as though an eternity had passed.
"Almost, almost. Stop rushing me…" Eriri replied softly, giving him a light pat. Her enthusiasm remained undeterred as she continued her massage, sharing her thoughts as she worked. "Boys' backs are really broad, huh? And their muscles are so firm and tight… It's kind of hard."
Taking advantage of this opportunity, she wasn't just focusing on the massage; she also took a moment to explore her curiosity. Boys were, after all, very different from her—hard and sturdy all over. Though, she had to admit, the texture wasn't bad to the touch.
"…" Kanade didn't say much in response, just offering a faint "Mm." He feared that if he spoke any more, he might blurt out something outrageous.
To his surprise, Eriri still hadn't realized the awkwardness of their posture. He had initially thought she'd notice after that other girl had walked away, but she carried on with a calm demeanor, oblivious to the situation. Kanade didn't dare bring it up, worried that mentioning it himself would only make things more awkward. So, he opted to play the ostrich, burying his head in the sand.
Yet enduring this wasn't easy. It wasn't the kind of torment he'd imagined—it came with a strange hint of pleasure. Eriri's massage was undeniably effective, proving that she had put effort into learning the skill. This left Kanade with a peculiar mix of sensations, teetering between pain and comfort. Was he actually enjoying this? Did that make him… an M?
The massage session dragged on for a while. Just when Kanade felt he could endure no more, Eriri finally wrapped up her work.
"All done! Finished!" Eriri declared, satisfied. It felt as though she had poured all her accumulated knowledge into this session, leaving her deeply fulfilled. Unable to resist, she patted his back a few more times with her small hands.
Though the sensation of slapping his back wasn't particularly pleasant, it brought her a strange sense of satisfaction. She couldn't help but pat him a few more times.
"Enough already. Get off, I need to get up," Kanade urged.
"Fine, fine… What's the rush?" Eriri grumbled, reluctantly climbing off his back. She perched on the table to put on her shoes.
Once she was off, Kanade quickly sat up as well, though he didn't move much afterward. He leaned against the table next to her, seemingly content to sit there and chat.
Eriri blinked in confusion, unsure of his intentions. Her spirits, however, were high. It reminded her of the old days when Kanade used to be the one actively closing the distance between them. Unable to resist, she teased, "What's up with you? Even if you're trying to flatter me, it's no use. This kind of treatment won't happen again!"
"Today, I just thought you worked hard and deserved a massage. Don't read too much into it."
"…" Kanade didn't know how to respond. However, thanks to her, the random thoughts swirling in his head gradually faded away, allowing him to think clearly again.
"Honestly, I want to say you're overthinking this…" Kanade sighed but replied earnestly. "Still, the massage was nice. I feel a lot more relaxed now. Thanks for your effort."
"Ugh…" Eriri pressed her lips together, clearly pleased.
She had learned all of this for his sake, so hearing Kanade praise her left her elated. But she was no longer the same girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. Despite the joy of having her effort acknowledged, she put on a facade of indifference.
"Wh-Why are you being so serious all of a sudden? It's so cheesy…"
"…" Kanade remained silent, trying to calm himself. He didn't want to draw any more attention, so shifting the topic seemed like a good idea.
Despite Eriri's feigned annoyance, Kanade could tell she was in a good mood. The proof? She started chattering about her class's happenings, even gossiping about new couples in her class—a topic she normally wouldn't pay attention to. Yet now, she was eagerly sharing it all with him.
Most of her complaints revolved around how shameless those couples were, flaunting their relationships in public.
No matter what the specifics were, Kanade listened attentively, occasionally responding with a word or two. Patiently, he indulged her need to vent.
Once she seemed to have run out of things to say, Kanade brought up a more pressing matter. "I'm glad you're enjoying school life so much, but don't forget about the upcoming midterms. You can't just focus on fun and ignore your studies… You know what I mean, right?"
"Σ(⊙▽⊙"a" Eriri instantly went silent. Her good mood disappeared, replaced by a look of distress.
Although Kanade hadn't been tutoring her for a few days, he still assigned her daily study tasks and conducted regular checkups. The workload he gave her was overwhelming, showing no regard for her fragile mental state.
"Y-Yes, I know… I've been working on it! When I get home, I'll…" Eriri stammered, clearly guilty.
Kanade could tell she hadn't taken it seriously. Luckily, meeting her today gave him a chance to remind her again.
Thus, the conversation shifted to the topic of studying. After a while, Eriri couldn't handle it anymore. She hastily found an excuse to say goodbye and made a quick escape.
When Kanade stepped out of the activity building, the sun was already dipping toward the horizon, turning into an orange-red orb that could be looked at directly.
The campus had grown quieter without him realizing, though faint sounds of training from the sports field drifted over on the wind. The athletic clubs sure were dedicated.
Kanade watched the scene, feeling a trace of respect.
He himself wasn't fond of sports; he preferred gaming on the sofa in his free time. The only reason he kept exercising regularly was for his health. In contrast, these people genuinely loved what they did, working hard out of passion.
As he strolled through the peaceful campus, a familiar figure suddenly caught his eye.
Kanade stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brows slightly.
"…"
A girl in sportswear stood hesitantly, clearly wavering. Her black hair swayed gently in the breeze, and her forehead glistened with a thin layer of sweat. The familiar butterfly ribbon at her collar was unmistakable.
It was the cool and aloof Snow Woman—Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Don't move. I'll come to you," Kanade said in a low voice.
"…" Yukino pressed her lips together. She felt that she shouldn't appear timid or retreat, but when Kanade approached her, she couldn't help but offer an explanation. "It was my turn for cleaning duty today, and the last period happened to be PE…"
"Then why didn't you tell the teacher? If you're injured, you should act like it and let someone else handle this!" Kanade interrupted her, snatching the net bag full of balls from her hands. For some reason, his mood was tinged with frustration.
Perhaps what upset Kanade most was seeing how little Yukinoshita cared for her own body. He had always thought she was someone who knew how to take care of herself.
"It's just cleaning up equipment. No need to make a fuss," Yukinoshita tried to argue.
But Kanade wasn't buying it.
She claimed it was no big deal, yet her gait was clearly off. Her injury wasn't fully healed, and worse, Kanade suspected her stubbornness might have made it worse.
"If it was a cleaning duty, where are the others? Not a single person willing to help you?"
Yukinoshita averted her gaze and stubbornly replied, "I'm fine. I don't need anyone's help."
Kanade's frown deepened as an unsettling thought crossed his mind. "Are you being bullied?"
If it were anyone else, he wouldn't have considered it. Shuchiin Academy had a good reputation, and he'd never heard of bullying incidents in any class. But Yukinoshita was different. She was precisely the kind of person who could attract such treatment, regardless of whether it was from boys or girls—a problem she'd faced since elementary school.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Everyone has their own tasks, and it just so happens I was assigned to organize the equipment," Yukinoshita retorted, shaking her head firmly. This, at least, she would not accept. She was no longer the helpless girl unable to protect herself.
"I can handle things on my own. I don't need to rely on anyone else."
"And the cost? Have you completely ignored that?" Kanade stared at her impassively.
Yukinoshita said nothing, clutching her arm as her gaze shifted elsewhere.
"Can you still keep going?" Kanade sighed.
Instead of answering, Yukinoshita demonstrated her resolve by walking several steps ahead of him.
Kanade sighed again and silently followed her, dragging the net bag of equipment along.
The storage room was quite a distance from the sports field. Luckily, Kanade had intervened before Yukinoshita's injury could worsen. But seeing her attitude, he couldn't help but wonder when her foot would ever heal properly. Why was she so careless with herself? She'd never been this recklessly stubborn before.
What's more, she didn't need to follow him to the storage room. He could have handled it alone, yet she insisted on coming along and even wanted to help put the equipment away. When Kanade refused, she glared at him furiously, leaving him bewildered by her relentless determination.
"Is this everything? Are there any others?" Kanade asked, looking back at Yukinoshita.
She shook her head. "That's all. It was a basketball class, so only this was used."
"Hmm…" Kanade wasn't entirely convinced, but he let it slide. Whatever the truth, her freedom of movement wasn't hers to decide right now. "Fine. Come with me."
"Where to?" Yukinoshita asked, confused.
"The nurse's office."
Yukinoshita immediately showed resistance. "That's not necessary—"
"I'm not negotiating." Kanade cut her off. "Just come quietly, unless you want me to take a firmer approach."
Since reconnecting with Yukinoshita, Kanade's attitude toward her had grown increasingly assertive. Although he had always been blunt and argumentative with her, their dynamic had shifted even further in that direction.
"…" Yukinoshita glared at him but fell silent. Begrudgingly, she conceded, recognizing her natural disadvantage due to her injury. For now, she would endure.
The nurse's office was on the second floor.
Yukinoshita's discomfort was evident as they approached the staircase. She hesitated at the base of the stairs, then slowly inched toward the handrail, clearly intending to use it for support.
But just as she was about to step up, a hand suddenly extended toward her.
"...?"
Yukinoshita looked up, puzzled.
"Give me your hand," Kanade said calmly, standing a step above her.
Yukinoshita pressed her lips together and hesitated for a long time, clearly reluctant. Seeing this, Kanade didn't bother waiting any longer. He reached out and grabbed her hand himself, pulling her forward with firm resolve.
Caught off guard, Yukinoshita lost her balance and toppled forward, only to fall into the warmth of Kanade's arms.
"If you'd just handed me your hand earlier, this wouldn't have happened," Kanade said, as if he weren't at fault in the slightest. He even shifted the blame onto Yukinoshita, though his actions clearly had a mischievous edge.
This naturally infuriated the Snow Woman. While she understood his intent to help, she couldn't suppress her anger. Glaring at him, she lashed out with sharp words. "Some people's shamelessness knows no bounds! Your ability to twist logic is truly unparalleled!"
"Wow, still so spirited," Kanade said with a grin, utterly unfazed. "I was starting to worry, seeing how quiet you were on the way here. But it's good to see you've got some energy left."
Ignoring her furious glare and any further verbal jabs, Kanade tightened his hold. Now that Yukinoshita was nestled securely in his arms, she had no choice but to let him lead.