All things are difficult at the beginning.
Though the process was quite tortuous, I managed to help Eriri color the manuscript.
Nothing strange happened during that time, but Eriri kept turning her head to glance at him, and whenever Natsukawa Kanade looked back, she quickly turned away, unable to meet his gaze.
Kanade understood. After all, Eriri was the original artist, and even if she was drawing a book, she had to ensure the manuscript's quality. It was understandable that she didn't fully trust him as an assistant.
—Finally finished the coloring...
Kanade took a deep breath, stretched, and tried to shake off the fatigue in his body.
—And you? Eri...
Before he could finish, his expression froze.
From his angle, Eriri was already slumped over the table, fast asleep.
Her profile faced him, her small nose twitching with each breath, her mouth slightly open, and faint murmurs escaped: "slower…" "or faster…"
Should it be slower or faster?
Kanade smiled. Eriri was truly dedicated. She didn't stop drawing, even in her dreams. No wonder she had become a recognized manga artist.
Outside, it was nearly dark. They had spent most of the day without realizing it. They hadn't felt it while working, but now that they'd stopped, hunger, dizziness, and lack of oxygen hit them all at once.
Seeing Eriri sleeping so soundly, Kanade didn't wake her. He gently helped her up and carried her to bed.
Sleeping in a chair too long could cause a cold. Luckily, Eriri was already in her pajamas, so there was no need to change her.
—Good night, little golden retriever...
Kanade's expression was gentle.
Even though she had rejected his confession, he didn't feel hatred—only regret and disappointment.
Especially because a girl like Eriri didn't hate him, didn't push him away, and didn't expose him publicly, sparing him from being gossiped about.
Maybe he could've held on a little longer, but it was too late to say that now. Better to look forward.
After covering Eriri with a blanket, Kanade quietly closed the door and left her house.
It wasn't too late, and he still had time to buy food. But the exhaustion was so overwhelming it had crushed his hunger. He didn't want to lift a finger.
He hailed a taxi outside, gave the driver his address, and closed his eyes to rest.
When he opened them again, it was completely dark outside, and the car had stopped in front of his apartment building.
—Thank you, driver.
After paying, he returned home. Unable to bear the fatigue any longer, he collapsed on the couch and fell into a deep sleep.
He didn't know how much time passed, but once all the exhaustion melted away in his sleep, Kanade finally regained control of his body.
When he opened his eyes, what he saw wasn't his familiar ceiling—but the sleeping face of a girl.
"…"
Right after a nap, he had somehow returned to Eriri's house.
But looking closer, he realized the only similarity was the blonde hair.
It was Shiina Mahiru.
For some reason, she had appeared at his place again unannounced, offering him an incredible lap pillow and a computer-generated image.
Kanade felt like he had just woken from a beautiful dream. He quietly sat up and left the warmth the angel had given him.
He turned his head toward the dining table, and sure enough, there was the dinner she had brought.
Ever since she caught him once eating meal replacements out of laziness, Shiina Mahiru had been bringing him dinner every day with such firm resolve that he couldn't even refuse.
Kanade really wanted to ask her: do you know your gentle gaze could easily be misunderstood?
But deep down, he knew the angel only cared about his health and had no hidden intentions. That's why he often had thoughts he shouldn't have.
The dinner was still warm, and Kanade finished it in a few bites. Seeing that Mahiru was still dozing, he didn't wake her and went to the bathroom with a change of clothes.
His body felt a bit sticky, so he wanted a good bath to clear his mind.
However, halfway through washing, he heard a soft "click" and the bathroom door opened.
The angel rubbed her eyes sleepily and murmured his name:
—Kanade...
Kanade turned his head and looked at her silently.
The two stared at each other for a long moment. Finally, the angel came to her senses.
With a thud, the doll she was holding dropped to the floor. But Mahiru didn't notice. Her gaze was completely fixed on Kanade.
Whether it was his defined abs, his angular face bathed in steam, or something else—it was all too much for the pure angel.
—I'm so sorry to bother you!
With a squeak, the angel fled in a panic.
Kanade sighed, walked slowly, and closed the door again.
In other people's two-dimensional journeys, it's the girls who offer fan service. But in his case, he just ends up flaunting his masculinity. Is this fair?
No one wants to see that, okay? Kanade felt a little helpless.
He had wanted a bath, but now he didn't feel like it anymore.
After a quick rinse, he got dressed and left the bathroom.
The living room was empty. The angel must have retreated to her domain, though she seemed to have retained enough sense to take her lunchbox with her.
Though it was embarrassing, it wasn't that bad. After this, Shiina Mahiru probably wouldn't show up for a while—which could be considered good news.
Silently cleaning up the mess in the living room, he checked his phone for a bit and then went to bed.
Not a word was spoken that night.
The next morning, Natsukawa Kanade set off with his school backpack: he was heading to Saitama.
As one of the prefectures under Tokyo's jurisdiction, Saitama didn't have much to offer. Just a few parks and shrines suitable for sightseeing and eating, so few people chose it as a weekend destination.
Most young people preferred Akihabara, Tokyo Tower, or the Ginza shopping district—places better suited for tourism. Even the amusement projects weren't as good as Disneyland's.
By comparison, Saitama was a place for slow play and relaxation.
Another big reason: if you went to Saitama, you didn't have to worry about running into acquaintances, which saved you from social obligations.
That's what Kanade thought at first—until a familiar voice reached his ears:
—Kouhai…?
"…"