"Kanade... could we have taken the wrong road? Why haven't we arrived yet after walking for so long..." Eriri muttered hesitantly, trailing just a step behind Natsukawa Kanade.
At first, she hadn't minded. As long as she had his company, even a simple stroll in the dark seemed enjoyable. But as they walked, surrounded by the same monotonous darkness with no signs of reaching their destination, an uneasy feeling crept in.
Why haven't they run into anyone else?
She wasn't suspicious of Kanade's intentions—not at all. In fact, she wouldn't have minded if he had been up to something, preferably with his usual little schemes written all over his face…
But instead, all she could focus on was the eerie silence, broken only by the occasional bone-chilling caw of crows overhead. The dim, oppressive atmosphere was starting to weigh on her. She hated to admit it, but deep down… she was kind of scared. Just a little.
Her imagination ran wild, conjuring up unsettling thoughts. Ghosts? Shadows moving in the corners of her vision? Something lurking just beyond the trees?
Ugh, no! No way!
If not for the reassuring warmth of Kanade's hand in hers, she might have already bolted in the opposite direction, shrieking like she did last time.
Seriously, why did she sign up for this again?!
Despite her inner turmoil, she did her best to hold it together. But the longer they walked, the more tense she became. She couldn't take it anymore.
"Uh..." Kanade finally spoke after hearing her concern, his voice calm and steady. "It's the right path. We haven't gone the wrong way."
His tone was confident, but that didn't ease her nerves.
"..." Eriri remained unconvinced, her expression still clouded with doubt.
"We should be there in just a few more minutes..." Kanade added, noticing her hesitation.
Truthfully, they could have arrived faster. But he had deliberately slowed their pace, allowing Eriri to conserve her energy while also giving himself a bit of a breather. He figured it wouldn't hurt to take things easy.
But now, seeing Eriri's unease, Kanade sighed internally.
Really, Eriri? You can't even handle a simple walk? You truly are my Eriri.
He assumed she was just getting tired but was too embarrassed to say it outright. After all, she had a history of being stubborn about things like this.
As for the idea that she might actually be afraid of ghosts—well, that never even crossed his mind. Sure, she had mentioned it before, but it wasn't like she had ever encountered anything supernatural, right?
Besides, in his view, this whole courage test wasn't even about "enduring fear." The real challenge lay in solving the various puzzles along the way. The "horror" aspect? Nothing but a gimmick.
So, to him, Eriri's unusual behavior was just her roundabout way of saying, "Hey, let's take a break."
With that in mind, Kanade offered, "I think we can stop for a short rest… Even if we're not physically tired, it's important to take care of our mental state, right?"
It was a perfectly reasonable excuse, crafted with care.
And just as he predicted, Eriri nodded immediately, without the slightest hesitation. Kanade smirked internally.
He really was getting better at understanding her. One small expression, a few subtle cues—he could read her like an open book.
No one understands Eriri better than me.
And that thought made him oddly proud.
===========================
After finding a relatively clean pile of rocks, Natsukawa Kanade carefully helped Eriri settle down before preparing to check the surroundings. Though the area had already been manually cleared, he wasn't about to take any risks—after all, who knew if some sneaky creature had managed to slip through the cracks?
But just as he let go of her hand, a sudden warmth wrapped around his fingers again.
"Don't leave me alone..." Eriri's voice was soft, but the way she clung to him made her look like a pitiful, abandoned puppy.
"Huh?" Kanade blinked, momentarily caught off guard before quickly offering reassurance. "I wasn't leaving you behind. I was just checking the area for safety."
"Then I'm coming too!" she insisted immediately.
Kanade hesitated. "It might be tiring for you…" He tried to be tactful, thinking that if he expanded his inspection range, they could ensure a safer resting spot without wasting too much energy. But if she tagged along, they might as well just move to the first checkpoint instead.
"I'm not tired!" she declared, shaking her head determinedly.
"..."
Seeing her adamant expression, Kanade sighed in defeat. There was no reasoning with her when she got like this. He could only agree to stay put, though he made a mental note to stay vigilant in case anything unexpected happened.
Meanwhile, Eriri, now satisfied with his decision, visibly relaxed. She had been tense the entire time, but with Kanade beside her, the unease gradually faded away. Seeking even more security, she subconsciously leaned closer to him, her arm brushing against his until their sleeves were practically intertwined.
"...?" Kanade glanced at her, puzzled by the sudden proximity, but chose not to comment on it.
Eriri, on the other hand, was internally celebrating. At first, she had been nervous about getting too close, worried that he'd brush her off. But when he didn't object, she felt emboldened—ecstatic, even.
The faint scent of his clothes mixed with the cool night air, and for a brief moment, she was completely immersed in the moment. Then, as if struck by divine inspiration, a flood of thoughts crashed into her mind.
Nighttime. A secluded forest. A boy and a girl—alone together.
The implications practically wrote themselves!
And then, as if her own mind was conspiring against her, she recalled what had happened before they entered the venue. Her face flushed. Wait… wasn't this the perfect chance?
Move, Eriri! Move!
She clenched her fists in determination. No more being a passive, whiny loser lamenting over lost opportunities! It was time for action!
Summoning every ounce of courage, she reached out with her free hand, gently pulling at Kanade's sleeve before—swiftly and decisively—wrapping both arms around his.
Nice! Eriri, you genius!
She could barely contain her excitement. Sure, it might seem like a small step in the grand scheme of things, but for her, this was a massive leap forward in her master plan. This was a move set in stone, an unshakable strategy!
Now… surely Kanade would start to understand her feelings just a little bit, right?
...Right?
She swallowed nervously, her heart pounding.
And Kanade?
Nothing.
No reaction whatsoever.
Not because he was flustered. Not because he was shy. But simply because he… didn't feel anything at all.
To be fair, not everyone had the broad-mindedness of Kasumigaoka Utaha. Sure, compared to Kaguya or Yukinoshita, he was somewhat more perceptive... but if he didn't feel something, then he simply didn't feel it.
Natsukawa Kanade had always been pragmatic, after all.
****************
T/N:
Oooof!!! Somebody call an ambulance!!!!!!!
Man down!! I repeat, MAN DOWN!!!