Heartbeats and Illusions

"Why are you so depressed, kid?" "Well, Kanade, we're leaving first." "Honestly, I'm disappointed in you." "…"

A dull, empty, heavy sensation pressed into Natsukawa Kanade's chest, growing with every passing second. He felt as though an endless weight was threatening to crush him, one he could no longer suppress.

"Good weight…" he murmured, staring blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling above him.

What a bizarre series of events this had been: going out for fun, unexpectedly running into Kasumigaoka, exchanging sharp words, and now—sharing the same room. And to top it all off, he found himself lying obediently on the floor while Kasumigaoka had, at some point during the night, claimed his bed.

Not only that, but in her apparent war against the summer heat, she had selfishly swiped most of the quilt for herself.

You're so considerate, Sempai, Kanade thought wryly.

"Senior Kasumigaoka, do you have anything to explain?" Kanade asked, his voice carefully calm as he tried not to disrupt the "crime scene."

"Mmm… let me sleep a little longer, Young Master…" came Kasumigaoka's muffled, groggy response.

"Well then, you can go ahead and sleep. I'll head to school by myself," Kanade replied, his tone clipped. "Your foot's fine now, right? If you had the energy to stage a midnight 'attack,' your injury can't be all that serious."

This seemed to rouse her, and Kasumigaoka reluctantly opened her eyes. A flicker of surprise crossed her face before she smirked mischievously.

"Ah, has my Kohai finally awakened his inner predator? Are you unable to resist taking action against the Sempai you've admired for so long?"

Kanade rubbed his eyes and exhaled heavily, not bothering to respond to her provocation.

The warmth radiating from her close proximity might have been oddly reassuring, but the consequences were undeniable. His body was still numb on one side from lying awkwardly, his chest felt like it was being crushed by a boulder, and yet… there was another sensation, one that could only be described as painfully energizing.

To sum it up: it was simultaneously excruciating and oddly pleasurable.

"I won't complain about you stealing my blanket, but could you please get up? It's really heavy," Kanade said flatly.

"Junior! You can't just comment on a girl's weight—it's taboo!" Kasumigaoka shot back, indignation flashing across her face.

"If Sempai truly cared about being perceived as a proper girl, perhaps she wouldn't sneak into a boy's bed so casually," Kanade countered with a sigh.

He genuinely couldn't understand Kasumigaoka. Despite rejecting his confession, she continued interfering in his life, even going so far as to create ambiguous situations like this. Was she unwilling to commit to the label of "boyfriend and girlfriend" but still eager to enjoy the thrill of flirtation?

Your personality is utterly broken, Sempai, Kanade thought to himself.

Still, he couldn't entirely blame her. After all, the heroines he'd encountered in his life rarely adhered to logic or predictable behavior. Each of them had their own unique quirks, and they always managed to surprise him with their unexpected antics.

It was almost as though they had souls of their own—vivid, dynamic presences that seemed to defy convention.

Caught up in this thought, Kanade paused for a moment, then chuckled softly, a sense of relief washing over him.

Why did I only realize this now? He'd spent so much time interacting with these strange, fascinating individuals, yet it had taken him until this moment to fully appreciate the experience.

"What a terrifying smile, Kohai," Kasumigaoka remarked, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Are you feeling smug because you think you're the lucky protagonist in some absurd romantic drama?"

Last night's memory flashed through her mind—seeing her Kohai's innocent sleeping face had somehow captivated her. She'd approached him to observe more closely, only to find herself so absorbed in the moment that she had accidentally fallen asleep by his side.

The thought filled her with a vague sense of shame. She glanced at Kanade out of the corner of her eye, hoping he hadn't noticed her moment of weakness.

"Senior, you'd better get up now," Kanade said, his tone brisk. "If you don't move soon, you'll miss the first train."

As he stretched and began to shake off the lingering numbness in his limbs, Kasumigaoka reluctantly sat up.

"I'm going to brush my teeth and wash up. Please hurry up too, Sempai," Kanade added, standing and heading toward the bathroom.

Unlike Kasumigaoka, who had changed into pajamas, Kanade had slept in his clothes the previous night. Though he typically preferred sleeping without them, he had no intention of changing into the hotel's provided attire. For some reason, it felt psychologically unappealing—so he'd opted to sleep as he was, discomfort and all.

Behind him, Kasumigaoka watched his retreating figure, an unreadable expression on her face.

After both of them finished washing up, Natsukawa Kanade and Kasumigaoka managed to catch the first tram just in time.

"Phew, I'm so tired…" Kasumigaoka groaned as she slumped into a seat.

"Your stamina is seriously lacking, Sempai," Kanade replied, shaking his head. "We only ran a short distance, and you're already out of breath."

Kasumigaoka gave him a sidelong glance, her expression tinged with mock resentment. "That's because I spent so much time with my Kohai yesterday. And this morning, you were so stubborn—didn't even let me sleep a little longer…"

Her lazy, almost sultry tone seemed to drift through the air, catching the attention of the office workers seated nearby.

"Don't make it sound like wanting to sleep in is some profound right, Sempai," Kanade sighed helplessly.

He could feel the sharp gazes from the commuters around them, particularly the office workers. Their jealous stares bore into him as though they wanted to devour him alive. It wasn't hard to guess what they were thinking—watching the innocent interaction between high school students was likely stoking their frustration at having to wake up early for work.

The pure love of youth, huh? Kanade thought wryly. He shifted in his seat, trying to ignore the envious looks.

Suddenly, a shrill voice rang out, cutting through the atmosphere like a blade.

"There's a pervert!"

Kanade's body tensed instinctively. His eyes darted around, narrowing as he stepped protectively in front of Kasumigaoka. The voice had come from nearby, and it seemed to be directed at someone close to them.

But before he could react further, he felt someone grab his hand.

"?" Kanade frowned, glancing down at the unexpected contact.

A loud, accusatory voice followed. "It's you! Don't even think about hiding!"

Kanade turned toward the source of the voice—a girl dressed like a flashy "gyaru" was clutching his hand, pointing at him as if she had just uncovered some heinous crime.

"…What?" Kanade blinked, caught off guard.

The situation felt absurd. He hadn't done anything remotely inappropriate, and Kasumigaoka had been right beside him the entire time. He opened his mouth to protest.

"You've got it wrong," he began calmly. "I'm not—"

"It's you!" The girl cut him off, her voice rising with exaggerated indignation. But her body language betrayed her. Her flushed cheeks and wandering gaze made it clear she wasn't entirely confident. She avoided making direct eye contact with Kanade, her bravado faltering with every passing second.

Kanade's mind raced. This is suspicious.

It didn't take long for him to piece together what was happening. He'd heard of scams like this before—opportunistic individuals falsely accusing innocent men of being perverts on trains to extort money from them.

Japanese law often treated women in such cases as vulnerable parties, and unless a man could provide irrefutable evidence of his innocence, the assumption of guilt usually stood. In these situations, even a false accusation could ruin someone's life—destroying reputations, tearing families apart, and ending careers.

Faced with such dire consequences, most people chose to settle the matter quietly by paying compensation, even if they weren't guilty.

Kanade frowned. This girl's behavior doesn't add up. She's acting brave, but her accusations are riddled with inconsistency. She's clearly targeting me.

Before Kanade could decide how to handle the situation—whether to demand proof or escalate the matter further—Kasumigaoka stepped forward, her sharp eyes locking onto the accuser.

"A pervert? Him?" Kasumigaoka's voice was icy and cutting. "Do you even realize what you're saying?"

The girl flinched under Kasumigaoka's gaze, but before she could reply, Kasumigaoka continued, her tone dripping with mockery.

"I see. Ignore his clearly attractive female companion to go after some desperate fox in heat who barks up the wrong tree? Does that sound even remotely plausible to you?"

She leaned in slightly, her words sharper than a blade. "I'm genuinely curious—what was going through your head when you came up with this pathetic little act? Did you forget to bring your brain along in your rush to get here? Or was it never part of the equation to begin with?"

The girl's face turned a deep shade of red, but Kasumigaoka wasn't finished.

"Honestly, I'm wondering if, when humans evolved, you just… got left behind."

The surrounding commuters fell silent. Even the hum of the train seemed muted in the wake of Kasumigaoka's verbal onslaught.

Kanade watched, half in awe, as Kasumigaoka effortlessly dismantled the accuser's flimsy facade. He'd seen her exchange biting words with Eriri before, but those encounters had always carried a playful undertone. This, however, was something else entirely. Kasumigaoka was utterly merciless, her words precise and devastating.

"Yes… sorry… maybe I made a mistake…"

The gyaru's voice was barely audible, her confidence completely shattered after Kasumigaoka's verbal lashing. She had been humiliated in front of so many people, unable to muster a single word of retaliation. As the train slowed to a stop, she seized the opportunity to flee, bolting off in shame without looking back.

Kanade exhaled, shaking his head. "Some people really need better hobbies…"

Kasumigaoka, however, clicked her tongue, her irritation lingering. "Tsk. What's wrong, Kohai? Are you feeling sorry for her now? If so, go ahead—chase after her and offer some comforting words. Maybe it was all just a misunderstanding."

Her voice carried a sharp edge, almost as if she were annoyed at the very idea.

Kanade blinked, his expression turning incredulous. "Feeling sorry? Me? Sempai, when have I ever cared about people like that? I'm clearly enjoying the poetic justice."

"Exactly," Kanade continued, crossing his arms. "If someone wants to pull a stunt like that, they should be prepared to face the consequences of failing. You reap what you sow."

Kasumigaoka stayed silent for a moment, the tension easing slightly from her shoulders. Yet something still seemed to bother her.

Her gaze shifted to the now-empty space where the hot girl had stood. Though Kasumigaoka believed in Kanade's character and knew he wouldn't feel any actual sympathy for that kind of person, an inexplicable irritation lingered within her.

Perhaps it was her intuition. Something about the girl's behavior had felt off—not like someone attempting extortion, but more like someone desperate for… something else.

Kasumigaoka furrowed her brows. "She wasn't trying to extort you," she muttered under her breath.

"Hm?" Kanade glanced at her, confused.

"That girl," Kasumigaoka elaborated, her tone sharp yet thoughtful, "she wasn't after money. She was just… coveting your body."

Kanade froze, staring at her as if she'd just said something outrageous. "My… body? Sempai, what are you even—"

Kasumigaoka didn't let him finish. "Think about it. Her grip on your wrist was so weak, it's a wonder you even noticed it. She couldn't even meet your eyes, and her cheeks were flushed the entire time. Does that sound like someone trying to blackmail you? No, she looked more like…" She trailed off, her lips tightening in disapproval.

"…Like what?" Kanade ventured cautiously.

Kasumigaoka crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "Like someone playing a very low-brow, shameful game."

Her face darkened slightly as if the mere thought disgusted her. "Dirty," she muttered. "Utterly dirty. I've never stooped to such levels, and I won't let someone else try it on my Kohai."

Kanade scratched the back of his head, unsure how to respond to Kasumigaoka's unusual intensity. "Sempai, you're… surprisingly worked up about this."

She huffed, turning her head away with a faint pout. "I'm merely pointing out the facts, Kohai. Don't let it go to your head."