Kanade stared blankly at the screen as Kato's calm explanation reached him.
"Because I was soaking in the bath earlier," she said, her tone utterly matter-of-fact, "I got a little distracted."
"…"
If you were bathing, there was no need to rush out and throw on clothes just to video call me! Kanade thought, exasperated. Wasn't voice chat enough? Or… does Kato actually prefer video calls? Maybe she likes observing people's expressions and reactions while talking.
Out loud, he tentatively asked, "So why the sudden switch to video chat? Doesn't it feel… inconvenient?" He avoided saying "embarrassing," worried it might sound like he was criticizing her for being too bold.
Kato misunderstood, lowering her head slightly and apologizing. "Sorry. I didn't think it through. Did I interrupt something?"
"No, no, not at all!" Kanade waved his hands frantically, his voice rising slightly. "I was just curious, that's all."
He was genuinely thankful for her interruption earlier—it had been a lifeline. There was no way he'd hold a grudge.
"I mean, if it were me, I wouldn't sacrifice my bath time just to video call someone…"
As someone who loved long, relaxing baths, he couldn't fathom giving up that precious time. If it were him, he'd stay in the tub and let the call run on speaker.
"Hmm… I guess I was just a little worried," Kato admitted, her tone taking on a rare hint of hesitation. "I didn't know what kind of outfit would be appropriate for tomorrow, since it's my first time visiting someone else's house…"
"Ah, that makes sense. It's your first time going to Eriri's place, right?" Kanade responded automatically before his brain caught up.
Then it hit him like a freight train.
Wait a minute. Eriri… has never told Kato about her identity as a doujin artist, has she?
Even when Eriri occasionally let a sketch slip in front of Kato, she had always passed it off as a "hobby" or praised for her "unconventional artistry."
But tomorrow…
Kato is going to Eriri's house. She'll be in her room. The truth is definitely going to come out!
Kanade stiffened, his mind racing.
"Uh… you don't need to stress too much about being formal," he stammered, trying to keep his voice calm. "You're worried about meeting Eriri's parents, right?"
He masked his anxiety and began offering advice like a seasoned expert.
"If it's your first visit, bringing a small gift like sweets would be great. If you make them yourself, it'll show extra thoughtfulness. But honestly, Eriri's dad is rarely home, and her mom is usually out for work. Odds are, you won't run into them. And if you do, just greet them politely—they're both very kind and approachable."
Kato nodded slightly, but her expression suggested she was still worried.
"And as for clothes…" Kanade's gaze swept over her outfit on screen. He offered a reassuring smile. "What you're wearing now is perfect. It has that cute, approachable girl-next-door vibe. I'm sure Eriri's mom—if she's around—will find it charming."
Not that it'll matter… Eriri's mom will likely unleash her "fashionista side" the moment she spots Kato, he thought, suppressing a sigh.
Knowing Mrs. Sawamura's personality, Kanade could already envision her pulling Kato into a whirlwind of trying on outfits. Since her own daughter refused to be her model, Mrs. Sawamura wouldn't pass up the opportunity to use Kato as a stand-in.
But he didn't mention this detail to avoid spooking Kato. If she backed out of tomorrow's study session, how would he help her with math?
And math, he thought grimly, is not something to take lightly. It's honest—if you neglect it, it'll bite you in the grades.
In his effort to put Kato at ease, Kanade rambled on, covering every little detail. At some point, Kato started to look overwhelmed.
"That… should be enough for now, Kanade-kun…" she murmured, her voice soft and sleepy.
Kanade was about to elaborate further when he noticed her posture on the screen. She was resting her head on a pillow, her eyes half-closed.
The phone's camera, propped up by a stand, captured her peaceful face as she drifted off.
Her body, relaxed and slightly curled on her bed, rose and fell rhythmically with each breath. Her casual sleeping posture accentuated her figure, and Kanade found his eyes drawn to the…
Stop it, he scolded himself, turning his gaze away.
He waited a moment to confirm she was truly asleep before sighing softly. A small, fond smile tugged at his lips.
"Good night, Kato," he whispered.
After ending the call, Kanade stood there for a moment, debating his next move. Then, in a flash of inspiration—or panic—he opened LINE and shot a message to Eriri.
"Why didn't you tell me Kato is joining tomorrow?!"
Eriri responded almost immediately, her message marked with an apology sticker.
"What?! Did I really forget to tell you? So sorry! I didn't mean to spring it on you…"
Kanade shook his head. "That's not the problem. I don't mind helping another person. The issue is something else entirely…"
"What's wrong???"
"Your secret. You do realize it's going to come out tomorrow, right?"
A long pause. Then:
"Oh no!!! I totally forgot!!! Σ(°△°|||)"
"More like you completely blocked it out, didn't you?"
"W-What do I do?? Can we postpone or change the location?"
Kanade groaned. "That'll only make it worse. If you act suspicious now, it'll just make Kato more curious."
Eriri sent a teary sticker, followed by:
"I'm not ready to reveal it yet! At least let me prepare myself mentally!"
Kanade sighed, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
"Okay, here's what you can do: Lock your room and say it's messy or not presentable. Insist we study in the living room. But that's not foolproof."
"Why not?"
"We're visiting your house. It's natural for guests to want to see your room at some point. If Kato insists, it'll be hard to refuse without making her suspicious. So…"
"So…?"
"You'll need to clear out anything incriminating tonight. Move all your doujin stuff somewhere else—your parents' room, a storage closet, anywhere."
"…But what about my mom?"
Kanade winced. That was a tough one.
"Warn her ahead of time not to say anything revealing. Also, brace yourself—she might take this as an opportunity to turn Kato into her dress-up doll."
Eriri groaned audibly through her message: "I hate how accurate that is… Fine. I'll handle it."
After a bit more back-and-forth, they settled on pushing the study session to later in the day to give Eriri extra prep time. Kanade couldn't help but smirk at the thought of her scrambling to "sanitize" her room.
Still, he couldn't help but wonder:
Kato seems so easygoing. Would she really care if she found out Eriri's secret?
After all, she was one of the most understanding people he knew. Surely, she could accept Eriri—even as a notorious doujin artist.
Notes-Read all chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X