After finishing breakfast and checking out of the inn, Natsukawa and Kasumigaoka made their way to the train station.
Their slow pace meant they missed the first train, leaving them with no choice but to wait patiently on the platform.
Natsukawa's phone had long since run out of battery and powered off, leaving him without a way to pass the time. On the other hand, Kasumigaoka was as relaxed as ever. She yawned lazily the moment they sat down.
"Kouhai-kun, I'm going to take a quick nap. You're in charge, okay…"
"…"
Natsukawa gave her a sidelong glance, nodded silently, and let her do as she pleased.
However, she didn't simply nap; she leaned against his shoulder, settling into a comfortable position like it was the most natural thing in the world.
As she dozed off, her serene and delicate appearance seemed to transform her into the very image of a literary heroine.
It was early on a weekend morning, so there weren't many people around—mostly couples likely heading out for dates. Natsukawa and Kasumigaoka blended in effortlessly.
After a short wait, the train arrived. Natsukawa tried to wake Kasumigaoka, but his efforts proved futile. With no other choice, he took her hand and dragged her onto the train.
The train, free of weekday commuters, had plenty of empty seats. They quickly found a spot to sit, but as soon as they did, Kasumigaoka began stirring up trouble.
"Ugh… Kouhai-kun, you're so rough… If you keep handling me like this, I'm going to break…"
"It's your fault for not waking up. If I hadn't dragged you, we would've missed the train," Natsukawa replied calmly. His experience with her frequent teasing had made him adept at deflecting her suggestive remarks, particularly those designed to provoke misunderstandings among onlookers.
"Well, it's still your fault… You even woke me up last night when I was already asleep…"
"Wait, hold on—don't make stuff up!" Natsukawa's face darkened as he tried to defend himself. But before he could mount a proper rebuttal, her words caught his attention.
"Wait… you said I woke you up? I don't remember doing that."
"Don't play dumb," Kasumigaoka murmured, her eyes still closed as she leaned against his shoulder. Though she appeared lethargic, her mouth continued its relentless output. "When you sneaked into my futon last night, you woke me up."
"…"
Natsukawa's jaw dropped, unable to form a response.
His expression turned grim—not because of the couple across from them, who now averted their gazes awkwardly, but because he realized something crucial: Kasumigaoka hadn't been feigning sleep last night. His clumsy movements had genuinely awakened her.
So… it was my fault after all?
Regret washed over him. If he had known this would happen, he might as well have climbed into the futon earlier and spared himself the anxiety and sleeplessness.
Noticing his uncharacteristic silence, Kasumigaoka opened her eyes and sat up slightly, tilting her head in confusion.
"What's wrong? Why the long face?"
"…"
Still wallowing in self-pity, Natsukawa didn't respond.
Kasumigaoka shrugged, muttered under her breath, and resumed napping against his shoulder.
The rest of the train ride passed in silence.
Eventually, they arrived at their stop. Hearing the announcement, Natsukawa, who had mostly recovered, hurriedly ushered Kasumigaoka off the train.
It was now broad daylight, and Natsukawa had things to do, so he ignored Kasumigaoka's sulky expression and bluntly told her to head home on her own.
This earned him yet another scathing remark.
"Hmph. I'm just one of Kouhai-kun's many disposable collectibles. Once I'm no longer useful, I get thrown away, with no right to even hope for care or attention…"
Her melodramatic declaration drew the attention of the couple from the train, who had also disembarked. But Natsukawa, having grown numb to her theatrics, barely flinched.
"I already care enough about you, Senpai. Otherwise, I'd have left you asleep on the train," he replied flatly. "Just go home and catch up on sleep. Oh, and don't forget you're still wearing yesterday's clothes."
His low-key reminder hit its mark. Kasumigaoka visibly stiffened and reflexively sniffed the sleeve of her outfit.
"Tch… Fine, whatever. I'll go home now," she said, her tone returning to its usual calmness.
Though she hadn't noticed any unpleasant smells, Natsukawa's comment left her feeling self-conscious, as if there might be an undetectable odor clinging to her.
"Take care on your way back," Natsukawa said, waving her off.
"You too, Kouhai-kun. Watch out for any girls who might suddenly try to scam you," she retorted with a sly smile before turning to leave.
Natsukawa rolled his eyes and walked away without responding. He planned to get some much-needed rest, especially since the study session he'd arranged with Eriri had been moved to the afternoon.
Before heading home, however, he decided to stop by his favorite breakfast shop.
It wasn't that he had any particular attachment to the place, but compared to the overly sweet, localized versions of breakfast buns, the shop's authentic offerings always hit the spot.
To his surprise, as he approached the line, he spotted a familiar face—Miko Iino—standing at the very end.
"Iino?" he called out tentatively.
The petite girl in casual clothes turned toward him, her expression one of mild curiosity.
"Who… Who's calling me?"
"It's you, Iino-san," Natsukawa confirmed with a nod. Her distinct hairstyle and small stature made her easy to recognize.
"President?" Iino tilted her head, puzzled. Then, as if realizing something, she shook her head vigorously. "No, no! I'm not Iino Miko. You've got the wrong person—I don't know anyone by that name!"
"…"
You just outed yourself, didn't you?
Natsukawa stared at her, dumbfounded.
"But… you turned around when I called your name."
"That's because… um… because…" She stammered, visibly flustered. "Ugh, I can't argue with that…"
"…?"
What a dork.
In stark contrast to the sharp and assertive Kasumigaoka, Iino's fumbling made her seem incredibly endearing. Without even trying, Natsukawa felt like he'd backed her into a corner.
"Ah, how frustrating… I got recognized," Iino muttered, her expression a mix of regret and resignation. She removed her face mask, revealing her full face. "I should've come earlier… But how did you recognize me, President? I was wearing a mask!"
Natsukawa gave her an exasperated look. You know I called out from behind, right? A mask doesn't change your hairstyle or frame.
"You're easy to spot. We work together, after all. Your hairstyle and… petite build make you stand out," he said matter-of-factly.
"Y-you noticed that much about me?" Iino fidgeted awkwardly, her cheeks reddening.
"…"
Natsukawa's expression froze. What's with this reaction? Something's not right here…