Crossover: After deciding to give up, i became popular

After guiding Kaguya a little, Kanade stepped back to let her try cooking on her own. There were some extra ingredients left over from earlier, making it the perfect opportunity for her to practice.

This time, he refrained from hands-on assistance, opting instead to offer verbal instructions and occasional reminders.

Kaguya proved her reputation as a genius once again. While her initial struggles with food prep had been evident, her progress in the cooking phase was remarkable. She quickly grasped the techniques and performed them with surprising finesse, giving no impression that this was her first time cooking.

Kanade sampled a bite of her finished dish and gave her a look of approval.

"Not bad at all. For a first attempt, this is completely acceptable—better than I expected, actually…"

Though the presentation left something to be desired, the flavor was decent—far better than his own disastrous first attempt at cooking. However, Kanade felt no sense of defeat; after all, he'd had no teacher back then and had been fumbling in the dark.

"Cooking isn't particularly difficult. Now that you've succeeded once, you'll likely do well moving forward. Just keep practicing and stick to this feeling," he said, adding a few words of advice before they transitioned to enjoying their meal.

Kaguya's dish, placed alongside Kanade's deluxe version, looked notably inferior. The comparison was like a knockoff painting placed next to a masterpiece, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of embarrassment.

"If… if you don't mind, please have mine…" Kaguya offered nervously, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

While Kanade's compliments had reassured her somewhat, she was self-aware enough to know he might just be sparing her feelings. Seeing his exquisitely prepared dish only deepened her self-consciousness, but she forced herself to follow through.

After all, this was her goal—she needed to overcome the shame.

"Sure, leave it to me," Kanade replied, nodding without hesitation.

He wasn't picky when it came to food. As long as it wasn't some extreme "dark cuisine," he was generally fine with eating just about anything.

"Then I'll have yours," Kaguya said, exhaling a breath of relief before solemnly adding, "I'll eat it with the utmost respect!"

"Uh, you don't need to go that far. Just eat it normally…" Kanade replied, a little embarrassed.

Ever since Kaguya had learned of his cooking skills, she'd started holding them in the same reverence as Fujiwara did. It was flattering, but also a bit awkward—especially since Kanade didn't think his cooking was all that special. After all, his own "mentor," Shiina Mahiru, far surpassed him in culinary talent, and he enjoyed her cooking every day.

Maybe I should introduce Shiina to Kaguya someday, he mused. They'd probably get along well, being girls and all. It'd be easier for them to talk too.

"By the way, President, do you have any plans for the courage test the day after tomorrow?" Kaguya asked casually, savoring Kanade's cooking but doing her best to appear nonchalant.

"If not… would you mind…"

"…"

Kanade's expression turned complicated. He hadn't expected a second invitation—first Eriri, and now Kaguya.

Why not invite Fujiwara? he wondered. Aren't they closer?

"To be honest, I'm not great with ghosts or monsters…" Kaguya said softly, her tone laced with vulnerability as she put on a pitiable expression.

But that was a lie.

As a staunch believer in science and logic, Kaguya didn't fear such things. Her courage stemmed from her unshakable confidence in reason and strength.

"Why not ask Fujiwara?" Kanade inquired.

"Chika would be useless. She'd probably ruin the atmosphere and turn it into a circus," Kaguya immediately replied, shaking her head.

Kanade: "…"

Hard to argue with that. Knowing Fujiwara's personality, she was exactly the type to chat with the staff in a haunted house and disrupt the experience entirely.

"Well, I…"

"Guess it's no good, huh…" Kaguya's downcast expression tugged at Kanade's heart.

He remembered that Kaguya didn't have many friends—far fewer than someone like Eriri or any of their upperclassmen. In fact, Fujiwara Chika was her only friend, and not a particularly reliable one at that.

For her to extend this invitation, Kaguya must have steeled herself significantly. How could Kanade possibly refuse?

"Actually, I'd like to go. I wasn't expecting your invitation, but of course I'll join you."

"But since we need to inspect the course for safety, we might have to run through it as part of our student council duties. That version would be more work-oriented, so it might not be as fun…"

Given the event's nighttime setting in the woods, ensuring student safety was paramount. As members of the student council, they were obligated to test the course in advance.

"That's fine. I'll follow your lead," Kaguya agreed readily.

She wasn't attending for the thrills of the event anyway. The real prize was the chance to be alone with Kanade. And if something dramatic happened—like getting lost in the forest—then so much the better!

She pictured it vividly: Kanade finding her in her moment of despair, comforting her trembling form, holding her close as he whispered sweet words into her ear…

Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Kaguya couldn't wait. Her spirits lifted, and she found herself looking forward to the courage test even more. If only time would fast-forward so she could begin this much-anticipated "alone time" adventure with Kanade.

Meanwhile, Kanade sat in mild distress.

While he'd agreed to Kaguya's request to avoid disappointing her, he suddenly remembered his prior commitment to Eriri.

Great. Now I need to juggle my schedule.

While the idea of forming a group of three crossed his mind, the school's pairing system made it impractical. Besides, Eriri and Kaguya didn't even know each other. Forcing them together would only create awkwardness.

I mean, I can handle going through the course twice, but… isn't this starting to feel like I'm two-timing?

Kanade couldn't help but laugh nervously. It's just a misunderstanding… right?