Heartbeats and Illusions

Kanade Pov:

After wrapping up the "welcome party" for my kouhai and sorting out the activity plans for Forest School, the day's school hours finally came to an end.

Originally, I was planning to invite Shiina out for a quick bite to celebrate the impending weekend. However, just as I was about to set the plan in motion, Kato intercepted me.

"Kasumigaoka-senpai is sick?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Kato's calm demeanor.

"Yes," she replied, taking a delicate sip of her milk tea. "I heard it's pretty bad. Seems like she's bedridden."

"Knowing her, isn't being bedridden her default state as long as she catches a cold?" I retorted, shaking my head slightly.

And truth be told, that wasn't even an exaggeration. Kasumigaoka Utaha was just that kind of person—completely hopeless when it came to anything remotely athletic. If she could avoid moving, she would. She gave off the vibe of a fashionable, modern girl who was all about aesthetic originality, but deep down, she was a pure-blooded literary otaku. Her disdain for inconvenience and preference for staying indoors were legendary.

Now that I think about it, it's no wonder she and Eriri managed to forge a bond that, while tense on the surface, was surprisingly deep. Both of them were hardcore stay-at-home types. Their hobbies and personalities might have clashed often, but their shared disdain for social outings gave them unexpected common ground.

"So," Kato continued, stirring the coffee in her cup absentmindedly, "as her friends, shouldn't we go visit her?"

"Wait a second." I leaned forward slightly, curiosity piqued. "How do you even know about this? You're not in the same grade as Kasumigaoka-senpai, right?"

What I really wanted to ask was, "Are you even close enough to her to care?" but I decided to phrase it a bit more delicately.

"The dean told me," Kato said nonchalantly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her slim fingers twirled it absentmindedly, as if she were weaving her thoughts into her answer. "Maybe it's because we were in the same club before?"

"Hmm…" I hummed in acknowledgment.

Kato went on to explain, "Apparently, senpai has recently moved to a new place. She's already informed her homeroom teacher about taking a leave of absence, but it seems like someone still needs to deliver her handouts. Problem is, no one knows her address."

"...And since she doesn't exactly have many close friends in her class, there's no one else who can step up to help her."

I stayed silent for a moment, processing the situation.

Even though Kato maintained her usual calm expression, something about her seemed… off. Since she'd approached me, there had been an air of subtle unease about her. Could it be that Kato genuinely thought of Kasumigaoka-senpai as a friend? If so, it made sense that she'd be worried upon hearing that senpai was sick.

"Well then," I said, breaking the silence. "I'll go visit her."

Though Kasumigaoka-senpai often found ways to tease me mercilessly, I still considered her a friend. Her prickly demeanor was more a shield than a sword—it wasn't hard to see through her socially awkward façade.

"Should we invite Eriri as well?" I suggested.

Kato shook her head, her voice soft but firm. "Eriri is busy working on her manuscript right now. Let's not bother her."

"Besides," she added, "I'm heading back to my hometown with my parents soon, so I won't have time to visit."

I poked at the dessert on my plate with a spoon, scooping up a small piece to taste. The tart flavor hit me unexpectedly, spreading across my tongue like a sour rebellion.

Unappetizing.

Mental note: never order this dessert again.

"I guess it's up to you then, Natsukawa-kun," Kato said, clasping her hands together in a mock gesture of encouragement. "Ganbatte ne."

Somehow, her words felt more like passing the baton than genuine motivation.

Before I could respond, Kato pushed a stack of papers across the table towards me. "Here are the handouts for senpai. Oh, and don't let this dessert go to waste."

"...Right."

If you're in such a hurry, why are you savoring your milk tea so leisurely?!

With no other options, I reluctantly accepted the task—along with the sour dessert.

After finishing up at the café, I followed the address Kato had sent me and arrived at Kasumigaoka Utaha's hideout: a cozy, single-occupancy apartment building.

As I stood outside, I couldn't help but wonder: how exactly did Kato-san know senpai's address when even her homeroom teacher didn't? I considered asking her earlier but held back, fearing she'd respond with her signature nonchalant tone. Something like, "Since we're friends, it's only natural that I know her address, right?"

That kind of reply would only highlight my own inadequacy as a so-called "friend."

And honestly, she wouldn't be wrong. I hadn't kept in touch with Kasumigaoka-senpai much lately. The reasons were varied on my end—school activities, personal stuff—but for her? Who knows? She's unpredictable, like trying to guess which way the wind will blow.

Even with these thoughts swirling in my head, my feet carried me forward. I followed the apartment numbers until I reached her door. Taking a deep breath, I pressed the doorbell.

"Moshi, moshi? Is anyone home?"

Silence.

No response came from inside.

I tried again, pressing the button and waiting a little longer this time. Still nothing.

With no other option, I pulled out my phone and quickly typed a message:

"Senpai, are you home? I'm at your door right now. Could you let me in?"

I hit send and stared at the screen. The last time we'd exchanged messages was a week ago—exactly last Friday.

I waited patiently, eyes fixed on the chat app. But there was no reply. Not even a read receipt.

Could she have gone out? Unlikely. If she had, she'd probably have her phone with her. Unless… she went to some ultra-quiet place, like a bookstore. But no, Kasumigaoka-senpai wouldn't be reckless enough to wander around when she's sick. She's a self-proclaimed "light homebody" who avoids leaving her sanctuary unless absolutely necessary.

"If I'd known this would happen, I should've sent her a message before coming here," I muttered, sighing. "She's probably asleep…"

Feeling a bit defeated, I turned my gaze to the door handle, almost absentmindedly placing my hand on it. Just out of curiosity, I gave it a light twist.

Click.

The door opened.

"Eh? Are you serious?"

My voice escaped in a mix of shock and disbelief. The door was… unlocked?

That didn't make any sense. Kasumigaoka Utaha, the sharp-tongued queen of sarcasm with a penchant for suffocating others with her wit, would never leave her personal safety up to the goodwill of strangers—or even friends.

The only plausible explanation was that she'd forgotten to lock it. Maybe she was too groggy or distracted to notice.

I hesitated for a moment, then pulled out my phone again.

"Senpai, your door was unlocked. I'm at the entrance now. Please don't mistake me for some suspicious person."