Heartbeats and Illusions

Happy New Year to you all.

I hope you're doing well.

I wanted to thank all the fans of this story, the stones, comments, reviews and collections have been encouraging. The patreonage has been especially motivating.

Despite not checking the stones reached by the time of reset, I'll do 2ch/day this week but extra chapters will strictly adhere to the number of stones at the end of each week starting from next week. 

On Patreon, I'm extending the 10% first timer's discount to the end of this week. Your support is greatly appreciated. All the character art is there. By the end of this week there should be at least 80 chapters of this story in total.

Finally, and once more, may the new year be good to you.

Let's get startted!!! 

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"Alright, let's head inside," Natsukawa Kanade urged, guiding Shiina Mahiru toward a nearby women's clothing store. His tone was calm but decisive, as if he had already thought everything through.

If she didn't want to go back with the stained dress, this was the best solution—find something new to wear. They could even drop off the soiled dress at a laundry shop afterward. The cleaning fee wouldn't be a big deal, and it would save them from cutting their day short.

"You can go in alone. If you need help, just ask one of the clerks. I'll wait for you outside," Kanade said, stopping at the entrance.

He wasn't about to walk into a store designed entirely for female customers, especially one that also sold swimwear and lingerie. That would be a step too far—even for him. His cheeks reddened slightly at the thought.

Shiina Mahiru nodded softly, her golden-brown eyes shimmering with quiet understanding. "Okay…"

Kanade took out his phone as she stepped inside, settling against the wall outside to wait. He passed the time idly scrolling through his feed, glancing up now and then. It wasn't long before the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention.

That was quick, Kanade thought, glancing up in surprise. He'd always heard that picking out clothes was a lengthy process for girls. But when he looked, it wasn't Mahiru who had returned—it was two unfamiliar women.

"Hey there, are you by yourself?" one of the women asked, her voice sweet but unmistakably bold.

"How about a cup of tea? You seem like you could use some company," the other chimed in, her smile coy.

Kanade blinked, caught off guard. Seriously? Wasn't it obvious that he was waiting for someone? A guy standing outside a women's clothing store wasn't exactly a common sight unless he had a companion inside. Did he really look like the kind of person who went around hitting on strangers?

"No, thank you," Kanade replied politely, trying to maintain his composure. "I'm actually waiting for someone."

Before he could say more, a soft but firm grip latched onto his arm. Startled, Kanade turned to see none other than Mahiru standing beside him. She hadn't changed her outfit at all and was still wearing the stained dress, but her serene expression didn't falter for a second.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's go," she said smoothly, her voice carrying a hint of urgency as she gently pulled on his arm.

Kanade let her lead him away, too stunned to speak. He glanced back at the two women, who now looked more amused than anything.

Once they were out of earshot, Kanade finally broke the silence. "You didn't find anything you liked?" he asked, though his mind was already racing with theories. Had she come out early to rescue him from that awkward situation? Or was she… jealous?

Mahiru tilted her head, pretending not to understand. "What do you mean, Kanade?" she asked innocently. Then, after a beat, her tone shifted, becoming playfully accusatory. "Oh no, did I interrupt something? Were you about to have tea with those women? I'm so sorry if I ruined your plans…"

"Why would you even think that?!" Kanade groaned, half-exasperated, half-amused. He shook his head, unsure whether to laugh or cry. "I was waiting for you! And anyway, I'm more worried about you. Are you sure it's okay not to change?"

"It's fine," Mahiru replied, though her gaze faltered for a moment. The truth was, she cared. The dress was important to her. But as she watched Kanade interact with those women, a new worry had taken root in her mind.

Mahiru's lips curved into a soft smile. "You see, Kanade… when a girl likes someone, what matters most isn't whether she looks perfect to everyone else. It's whether she looks perfect to that one person."

Kanade blinked, caught off guard by her sudden sincerity. He opened his mouth to reply, but Mahiru had already turned away, her expression serene once more.

"Let's go back," she said suddenly. "I don't think today's our lucky day. Staying out longer feels like asking for more trouble."

Kanade was about to agree when a new voice chimed in from behind them.

"Natsukawa-kun…"

Startled, both Kanade and Mahiru turned to see a familiar figure approaching. Miss Kato, calm and elegant as ever, stood before them with a faint smile on her lips. She tilted her head slightly, her curious gaze flickering between the two.

"Are you two… dating?" she asked, her tone light but unmistakably intrigued.

Her question carried an innocent undertone, but Kanade knew better. In her quiet and subtle way, Kato always managed to dig right into the heart of things.

Dating? Kanade's brain briefly scrambled for a proper response. Sure, the word originally just meant two people meeting up, but these days, it almost always implied something romantic. For a moment, he considered how it might look to an outsider. They were walking around together, and Mahiru had clung to his arm earlier.

Glancing at Mahiru, Kanade noticed her flushed cheeks. Her usual calm elegance had faltered, and now she looked visibly flustered. He sighed inwardly, realizing he needed to handle this delicately.

"No, we're not," Kanade said quickly but calmly, turning to Kato. "We just happened to bump into each other and decided to hang out for a bit."

He kept his tone casual, recalling Mahiru's previous warnings about not revealing too much about their relationship to classmates. She'd always been cautious about maintaining appearances, and Kanade respected her wishes.

However, Kato's sharp gaze lingered on them for a moment longer. Kanade could tell she wasn't entirely convinced.

In an attempt to clarify, Kanade recounted the earlier incident with the two women approaching him and how Mahiru had stepped in to "rescue" him. "She was just helping me out of an awkward situation. That's all," he added firmly, hoping the explanation would suffice.

But when he glanced at Mahiru again, her expression was still uneasy. She avoided his eyes, instead tugging gently at his sleeve as if seeking reassurance.

Kanade leaned closer and spoke softly, "Don't worry, Kato-san isn't the type to spread rumors. She won't tell anyone."

Mahiru looked up at him, her golden-brown eyes flickering with uncertainty. She didn't say anything but gave his sleeve a slightly firmer tug.

Kanade sighed. She's still uneasy. Looks like I need to do more to put her at ease.

"Kato, are you free right now?" he asked suddenly, turning his attention back to her.

Kato blinked, momentarily surprised. "Yes, I am," she replied with her usual composure.

"Great," Kanade said, nodding. "Why don't we find a place to sit down and chat?"

He had an idea—bringing Kato into their circle for the moment might help clear the air.

At the Dessert Shop

Sitting across from Kato in a cozy dessert shop, Kanade clasped his hands together, his posture unusually formal. He looked at her with a rare sincerity that bordered on desperation.

"So, that's the whole story," he concluded, after explaining their "neighborly" relationship and how they often helped each other out. He'd kept the explanation simple, omitting more sensitive details, like his confession being rejected. "I hope you can keep this a secret and not spread it around, Kato-san."

Mahiru had silently agreed to the explanation, nodding occasionally to corroborate his words. For the most part, she remained quiet, letting Kanade take the lead.

Kato, who had been quietly savoring a tart dessert, finally set her spoon down. "Natsukawa-kun," she began, her voice calm but with a subtle teasing edge, "you're so cunning. Inviting me here and bribing me with dessert? How could I possibly say no?"

Kanade chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, I figured it'd be harder for you to turn me down if I sweetened the deal."

"Because you know I'm too nice to say no," Kato said with a small sigh, though her tone was devoid of any real annoyance. "You're lucky I'm not the vengeful type."

Kanade felt a pang of guilt. Kato was genuinely considerate, and he'd knowingly taken advantage of her good nature. He made a mental note to make it up to her somehow.

"Thanks, Kato," he said sincerely. "I owe you one."

As the two exchanged words, Mahiru sat quietly, her hands resting on her lap. She watched them with a hint of envy in her gaze, feeling out of place amidst their natural camaraderie.