Crossover: After deciding to give up, i became popular

It's a well-known fact—or at least a whimsical thought—that girls are made of sugar, spice, and all things nice. For boys, even the simplest exchange of fluids, like a shared drink, can be thrilling, never mind anything more.

But today, Kanade Natsukawa had the dubious honor of being doused not in honey, nor sweetness, but a full-on spray of coffee.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry, Senpai! I didn't mean to! I'm really, really sorry!" Iroha Isshiki was practically bowing in her seat, her usual smug demeanor replaced by an earnest attempt to atone.

Meanwhile, Kanade sat frozen, his mind a blank slate. The situation had effectively numbed him, mentally and emotionally.

What started as a harmless prank—tricking Iroha into trying the bitter espresso by calling it "sweet"—had backfired spectacularly. He had envisioned a funny grimace, maybe some playful complaining. Instead, she'd spat the bitter drink out in shock... directly onto his face, chest, and neck.

His clothes bore splatters of coffee, and while his dark attire camouflaged the stains, the warm stickiness was a constant reminder of his miscalculation.

"Are you okay, Senpai?" Iroha's voice was unusually timid.

"..." Kanade got up and headed to the restroom to wash his face. After a few moments of running cold water over his skin, he returned, his expression unreadable.

"Let's finish the food," he finally said.

"Finish…? You mean, stay here and eat?" Iroha asked, tilting her head.

"Of course. Wasting food is unacceptable," Kanade replied flatly, sitting back down.

The embarrassment might have been bearable if he could at least take solace in the idea of a free meal. But he had paid for the coffee she spat out, and the café wasn't offering refunds for casualties of poor taste-testing.

Back at the table, Iroha seemed eager to make amends. "Senpai, as an apology, how about you share my parfait?"

Kanade glanced at the half-melted parfait she'd pushed toward him and shook his head. "You eat it. I'm fine."

"Ehhh, don't be like that. You'll love it. It's sweet!"

"No, thanks."

He had learned his lesson. Accepting her offers often came with unintended consequences, and today's coffee fiasco had been enough surprises for one outing.

Iroha puffed out her cheeks. "Hmph. Fine, I'll eat it myself, but don't come crying to me later when you regret not trying it."

Iroha worked her way through the parfait, occasionally throwing dramatic glances at Kanade, who ignored her in favor of sipping what remained of his espresso. By the time she finished, only a few pieces of wagashi remained on the table.

"I'm full," she announced, pushing the plate toward him. "You can have the rest, Senpai."

Kanade raised an eyebrow. "They're your leftovers. You finish them."

"Didn't you just say wasting food is unacceptable? Practice what you preach, Senpai!"

Kanade sighed. "Fine. Hand it over."

"Yay! But…" Iroha quickly snatched two pieces of wagashi, took small bites out of each, and then placed them back on the plate with a sly grin.

"There you go! Just making sure they're safe for you!"

"..." Kanade stared at the partially bitten wagashi and then at Iroha, who was trying and failing to look innocent.

It was such a juvenile move that he couldn't help but laugh internally. This again?

Back in middle school, his classmates used to pull similar stunts—taking the first sip from a shared drink or licking the rim of a bottle cap to "claim ownership." He'd always envied how carefree and close they seemed, a dynamic he never quite fit into back then.

So, this time, he wasn't going to let her one-up him.

Without hesitation, Kanade grabbed one of the wagashi and bit into the exact spot Iroha had bitten.

"Not bad," he said nonchalantly, chewing slowly while maintaining eye contact.

"...!"

Iroha's face turned bright red, and her smug smile vanished. "S-Senpai! That's so gross! What's wrong with you?!"

Kanade smirked. "Gross? Weren't you the one who gave it to me like this? Don't complain now."

"You're the worst! The absolute worst!" Iroha whined, burying her face in her hands.

Kanade chuckled softly. Serves you right, little devil.