After mentally calculating the time and making sure Shiina Mahiru had already walked away, Natsukawa Kanade slowly stepped out from the corner of the hallway.
Of course, he didn't have an umbrella.
But it wasn't out of self-pity, as if he wanted to wash away the sadness of a failed relationship in the rain. He simply couldn't open the student council room anymore after handing the key over to Shirogane Miyuki.
"I suddenly feel a bit regretful…"
Maybe I should return the key tomorrow, he thought.
The rain kept falling.
But it wasn't a big deal. Just a little water. He'd done similar things before.
Just as he was about to leave, a soft voice reached his ears, accompanied by the scent of locust blossoms.
"Good afternoon, Natsukawa-kun."
A familiar voice, though slightly ambiguous.
Kanade reacted immediately.
"Good afternoon, Kato-san."
Kato Megumi, the quiet heroine of the Boyfriend Girlfriend Project, had a calm personality. She seemed defenseless and natural, but was actually kind and thoughtful. Though beautiful, she often went unnoticed due to her subtle presence.
Some gave her odd nicknames like "ideal wife" or "Saint Kato."
But just a brief conversation was enough to sense her quiet emotions—she was, indeed, a charming, ordinary high school girl.
"Huh? After so long without seeing me, Natsukawa-kun still recognized me. What a surprise!"
"No matter what, I wouldn't be that forgetful, right?" Kanade replied with a shy smile.
A similar conversation had happened before, and it brought back happy memories.
"Maybe. We haven't seen you since you became student council president."
"No, there's nothing to be done… the president is busy with official duties…" his eyes wandered, avoiding Kato's gaze.
He couldn't admit that he'd neglected old friends because he was busy chasing girls. Wouldn't that make it seem like he valued romance more than friendship?
Fortunately, Kato was considerate and didn't confront him over such fragile excuses.
"Speaking of which, what are you doing here, Kato? Don't you have club activities?"
"I was delayed a bit because I ran into a puppy that looked very lonely and sad."
"Hmm…" Kanade's face flushed. Was she calling him that?
It was the first time someone compared him to a puppy. Did he really look that pitiful?
"He'll be fine once I give him something to eat."
"Ah… th-that's all…"
Kanade felt even more embarrassed.
He never imagined Kato was talking about an actual puppy. Luckily, he didn't have time to react, or it would've been too humiliating.
"In that case, Kato, go to your club activities. Don't keep the others waiting."
"That's not important."
"Not important…?"
What did that mean? That talking to him was more important? Or that she really saw him as a sad puppy and was worried?
"Because the club has been dissolved."
Kanade: "…"
So he was overthinking.
"Ahem… Kato, what happened with the club's dissolution? Can you tell me?"
Coughing to hide his discomfort, Kanade asked with curiosity.
He had been part of the club, though not invited directly by Aki Tomoya like Kato, Kasumigaoka, Eriri, and the others. He joined through recruitment.
At first, he worried that his mediocre programming skills wouldn't be enough to catch Aki's attention or get close to the heroines. But he discovered the conditions were harsh: no salary, no compensation, just passion.
Who would stay in a club like that? Only people with ulterior motives—like him. In fact, when Aki confirmed that Kanade could program on his own, he practically begged and tricked him into joining.
The reward: afternoon tea, snacks, and access to Aki's games.
To be honest, none of that interested him. But to hide his true intentions, he accepted the reward on the surface.
Everything flowed naturally. While working, he launched his strategic attack. The process was beautiful. The result, cruel: broken hearts, one after another.
That's why he didn't want to remember the past. But hearing Kato mention it, he couldn't help but feel curious.
"Was it because the activities couldn't continue after I left the club?" his expression shifted slightly.
A complex emotion stirred inside him.
Guilt? Relief? He didn't know.
Though he'd left the club long ago, he had fulfilled his part. He wasn't responsible for the dissolution. But he still felt the connection.
Even if the Beautiful Girl Text Adventure Game he created was released and successful, he could feel proud.
"No, your work was already finished," Kato shook her head. "And your suggestions were very helpful. After Eriri and the others read them, their work progressed much faster."
"Then why did it dissolve…?"
"Because the game is finished," she said seriously.
Not just Kasumigaoka-senpai and the others—even Aki-san praised the game's quality. Everyone said Natsukawa-kun deserved the credit…
"…"
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but Kanade felt that Kato was keeping him in suspense. She answered calmly, but dropped phrases that grabbed attention.
"So, about the dissolution…"
"Hmm… I think it was Kasumigaoka-san who mentioned it. She said, 'Now that the game's done, this club of playful boys should disband.' And she left. The club just dissolved."
Kanade: "…"
He wanted to complain to Kato, as if blaming Kasumigaoka Utaha for everything.
But he, who knew the original work well, knew Utaha was the first to want to leave the club. It wasn't surprising.
Still, knowing he wasn't the cause of the dissolution, Kanade felt relieved.
Sometimes, all it takes is someone else denying your guilt for you to feel better. Even if you're not sure. Even if you don't fully deserve it.