They didn't run into anyone on their way back, likely because their considerate partners had already taken off ahead of them.
For Eriri, this was actually a blessing in disguise. It meant she could stick close to Kanade without any unnecessary interruptions or prying eyes. No one would be around to whisper about them, no rumors spreading like wildfire.
Although… deep down, she wouldn't have minded a few rumors.
"Hmm… why don't we take a walk by the lake?" Eriri suggested, tilting her head slightly. "The evening breeze there is pretty nice."
"By the lake?" Kanade raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the sudden suggestion.
"The place where you chased after me the other day."
"Oh, that place…" Kanade recalled the memory and nodded in understanding. He wasn't too particular about where they went.
"There's a bench nearby, right? We can sit down and rest if we get tired."
"..."
Eriri pouted slightly.
Couldn't he think of something a little more… romantic? Maybe suggest watching the sunset together? Or talk about how beautiful the lake looks under the moonlight? Something, anything, to make the mood more special?
But she knew better than to expect that from him. Kanade wasn't exactly the most romantically inclined guy. Worse, she had to constantly worry about whether this lack of romance was exclusive to her—or if he was just saving it for someone else in the future.
After leaving the venue, they encountered several people along the way. Most were paired up in twos, huddling in discreet corners, whispering softly to each other.
Some weren't satisfied with just whispering. They were practically glued together, exchanging what could only be described as an incredibly intense display of affection, as if trying to telepathically communicate their feelings through their tongues.
"..."
"..."
Eriri and Kanade made brief eye contact before quickly looking away, a silent agreement passing between them to pretend they saw nothing.
Kanade exhaled, rubbing his temples.
As the student council president and the main organizer of this event, he was well aware of these "festivities" happening in the background. He had even arranged for discipline committee members to patrol the area, and the punishment for getting caught was clearly outlined in the event rules.
And yet, here they were.
Apparently, the threat of punishment only added to the thrill for some people.
Kanade had half a mind to believe that the student council itself had become an unintentional part of their game.
Meanwhile, Eriri had a much simpler thought process—if Kanade suddenly had the same kind of impulse… should she refuse at first and then shyly accept? Or would it be better to just freeze up and let it happen?
She gulped.
As if sensing the thickening atmosphere, neither of them spoke for a while. But the deeper they walked into the festival, the more couples they passed, their surroundings becoming increasingly saturated with an overwhelming romantic tension.
Kanade made a decisive choice—take the small path.
The main road was too crowded, and he didn't want to witness any more of these overly enthusiastic interactions. He wasn't in the mood to start issuing warnings left and right, and he certainly couldn't walk around with his eyes shut the whole time.
However, just as they were passing a quiet corner, a rustling sound caught Kanade's attention.
Instinctively, he glanced in that direction—and immediately wished he hadn't.
Caught in his line of sight was yet another couple, locked in what could only be described as a particularly passionate battle.
Kanade stopped in his tracks, momentarily stunned. Not because he was surprised by the act itself—at this point, he was growing numb to the sheer boldness of his peers—but because of the unmistakable voice drifting from the scene.
That voice… belonged to someone he knew.
Realizing what he was witnessing, Kanade quickly muttered, "Don't turn around."
Unfortunately, his warning came a second too late.
Eriri, curiosity getting the better of her, followed his gaze. The moment she processed what she was seeing, her brain short-circuited. Her whole face turned crimson, steam practically billowing from her head like an overworked locomotive.
Kanade sighed.
It was exactly as he feared.
The ever-so-knowledgeable-in-theory-but-clueless-in-practice Kashiwagi Eri had just gotten her first unfiltered glimpse of live-action romance—and it completely broke her.
Her reaction was instant. She froze in place, her entire body locking up as if she had been struck by Medusa's gaze. Her pupils dilated, her breathing turned erratic, and a series of incoherent sounds escaped her lips.
Kanade, sensing that this could escalate into a full-on meltdown, swiftly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her away from the scene.
Dragging her along, he stole a glance at her face and—yep, she was still out of it. She kept her head down, eyes glued to her toes as she walked, following him in an obedient daze.
They finally reached their destination after a few minutes, though Eriri still seemed unable to process what had just happened.
Kanade cleared his throat. "E-everyone sure is… passionate tonight, huh?"
His voice wavered slightly. He wasn't usually this flustered, but for once, he was worried about someone else's mental state more than his own.
"…Ah… um…"
Eriri's response was muffled, barely audible—but at least she answered.
Progress, maybe?
"Cough cough… Anyway, let's sit down for a while. We've been walking for so long, we should take a break." Natsukawa Kanade suggested.
Seeing Eriri give a slight nod, he gently tugged her along and guided her to the nearby bench.
This was the third time the two of them had come to this spot. Because it was in a secluded area, hardly anyone ever passed by, making it an ideal place where they could "hang out" without interruptions.
The previous two times had been different—they had come here due to specific circumstances, meaning they had something to talk about, and conversations naturally flowed. But this time? They were just looking for a way to cool off after all the commotion, and yet, the lingering awkwardness from what they had just witnessed made it impossible to relax.
Especially for Eriri. Her mind was still cluttered with all sorts of chaotic thoughts, and she couldn't settle down no matter how hard she tried.
Kanade, on the other hand, was doing slightly better. He had already regained his usual composure, but he wasn't the type to go out of his way to entertain someone just for the sake of it. So if she didn't say anything, he wasn't going to force a conversation either.
"..."
"..."
The silence stretched on for a while, almost like an invisible wall between them.
Eventually, Kanade decided the atmosphere had been weird for long enough. If they let it drag on, it would only get worse, so he took the initiative to speak.
"How's your studying going lately, Eriri?"
"..."
Eriri slowly turned her head and shot him a look that practically screamed, Seriously? Out of all things, this was what he wanted to talk about now?
"…It's okay, I guess." She responded half-heartedly.
Seeing her lack of enthusiasm, Kanade raised an eyebrow slightly. Judging by her reaction, he had hit a sore spot.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," he continued nonchalantly. "Midterms are coming up in a few days. If you fail even one subject, you're going to have to attend tutoring over the weekend."
He made sure to emphasize the word "one."
Out of everyone he knew, Eriri was the only person whose academic performance actually concerned him. Not because she was bad at school—on the contrary, she did decently in most subjects. However, when it came to English… it was nothing short of a disaster.
What made it even more baffling was the fact that she was half-British. How someone with her background could struggle so much with English was beyond him.
"Ah, this… probably not…" Eriri stammered, visibly nervous.
She was painfully aware of her English struggles. For someone who was supposed to be in her second year of high school, her level was barely that of a middle schooler. It wasn't like she wanted to be bad at it, but for some reason, no matter how hard she tried, it just wouldn't stick!
In the past, she had relied purely on luck to scrape by on exams. Then Kanade started tutoring her, and miraculously, she stopped failing altogether. But ever since she rejected his confession, things had gone back to their old ways…
Wait!
Didn't this mean she could just ask him to tutor her again?! Just like before?!
The more she thought about it, the more perfect the idea seemed. Not only would it help her avoid failing, but it would also give her an excuse to monopolize Kanade's time. Two birds with one stone!
And this time, things were different! She didn't need to constantly keep her guard up around him like before. She could completely focus on the tutoring… and maybe even be a little bolder… seduce… no, wait, that's too aggressive. Lure—no, that sounded even worse. In short, wasn't it natural for something exciting to happen when a boy and a girl were alone together in a small room?!
At least, that was how things worked in the manga she drew!
Eriri's face heated up as she imagined all sorts of possible scenarios.
Kanade, meanwhile, glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, only to find her staring off into the distance, blushing furiously for no apparent reason.