"N-No more… I can't… Kanade… Just—just let me rest a little…"
"No can do. Keep going until I say it's enough."
"W-Why…? This is… ugh…"
When Kato Megumi arrived at Eriri's house that day, the moment she stepped onto the porch, she heard the soft creak of a door left slightly ajar—and along with it, some very suspicious-sounding dialogue.
For a split second, Megumi froze.
Her imagination did a backflip and instantly conjured up the kind of scene only seen in certain "questionable" anime—like Yosuga no Sora—where a sibling walks in at the exact wrong moment because someone forgot to shut the door properly…
"…Eh? Nani…?"
Carefully, she peeked inside.
What she found was… not exactly that, but it was strange in its own right.
Natsukawa Kanade sat calmly at the desk like a stern sensei, flipping through papers with that cool, serious look he always wore when he was teaching. Meanwhile, Eriri—blonde twintails shaking in distress—looked like a tragic heroine from some over-the-top school drama.
Her expression was on the verge of tears, and her forehead had several sticky notes slapped across it, all handwritten with incredibly embarrassing phrases like:
"(＞人＜;) I'm worse than a middle schooler!""o(╥﹏╥)o Don't look at this failure of a person!"
Megumi blinked. Is this… some kind of… modern humiliation ritual?
"…Ano… What exactly are you two doing?" she asked, head tilted slightly in confusion.
Kanade looked up, nonchalant. "Ah, Kato, you're here. Come in."
But before he could say more, Eriri exploded in panic.
"E-EHHHH?! M-Megumi?! Why are you here?! N-No—don't come closer! Don't look at me!!"
She flailed dramatically, throwing up one hand like a stop sign… and then realizing one hand wasn't enough to cover all the shame, she used both, twisting like a cat caught in a rainstorm.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
Kato's gaze had locked on Eriri's tragic form, expression unreadable.
"Eriri… um… ah, sou ka. I see. Everyone has… unique hobbies. I won't judge."
"THAT'S NOT IT!!" Eriri wailed. "This isn't a hobby, it's TORTURE! Who would willingly go through this level of humiliation?! Even elementary schoolers wouldn't stand for this!!"
"That's exactly why it's perfect for you," Kanade muttered as he nonchalantly marked something in his notebook.
He didn't even blink.
"To cure a deadly illness, you need strong medicine," he said, calm and cold like a battle-hardened sensei in a sports anime. "And Eriri's English is a critical case. If I don't force drastic measures now, she's gonna regress into speaking caveman Japanese by graduation."
Truly, it was the first time he had ever met a high schooler whose English was worse than the average middle schooler's.
This wasn't math. It wasn't chemistry. This was English! The so-called "easier subject!" And she was flunking it like it was rocket science!
So, he turned to the wisdom of an ancient scroll—or rather, a book he once skimmed in a weird corner of the internet: "The Maiden Taming Manual."
Some of its teachings were… problematic, sure. But there were gems. Especially the part about motivation.
See, Eriri was the type who had zero response to praise. Compliments didn't light a fire under her—if anything, they made her more smug. So instead of carrots, Kanade had to wield the stick.
Enter: shame-based learning.
Exposing her failing in front of someone she respected—like Kato—was the perfect psychological weapon. If Eriri was this destroyed just from Megumi seeing her now, imagine how mortified she'd be if her classmates found out she misspelled "apple" as "apol."
Her pride would force her to study.
Or so he hoped.
Meanwhile, Eriri had collapsed into a defeated heap on the carpet. Her arms went slack as she gave up on hiding her shame.
"M-Megumi… you understand, right?" she sniffled, hoping for sympathy.
But Kato simply walked over to Kanade's side and sat down like nothing was out of the ordinary.
"I brought some cookies. Handmade," she said, offering a small bag to Eriri with a soft smile. "If you're feeling overwhelmed… maybe this will help?"
Eriri: "…"
She felt betrayed.
Still, cookies were cookies.
Sniffling, she took the bag, opened it, and immediately chomped down on one.
"…Mou… this time for sure… I'm gonna pass… I swear it…" she mumbled through a full mouth.
Megumi blinked.
Seeing Eriri munch so energetically, she relaxed a little.
She's fine, probably.
"Natsukawa-kun," she said, turning back to Kanade, "would you like to try one too? It's my first time baking them, so I need a second opinion."
"Un, I'll try one," Kanade nodded, taking one from the bag with a little more grace than Eriri. Originally, Natsukawa Kanade had been a little put off by the way Eriri dove into the cookies like a starving stray dog. The timing was too suspicious—was she trying to dodge more English drills by acting pitiful?
He narrowed his eyes slightly. Tch… classic Eriri tactic.
Still, since Kato Megumi had arrived, and the atmosphere had softened into something more peaceful, he didn't press it. He simply allowed it—just this once—as a short break.
Picking up one of the handmade cookies Kato had brought, Kanade examined it with subtle curiosity before taking a careful bite. He chewed slowly, letting the flavor settle on his tongue.
"…Mm. This is good. Like, café-level good."
His verdict was calm but honest, his tone so matter-of-fact that it somehow made the compliment feel even more sincere.
Kanade wasn't someone who usually had a sweet tooth—in fact, he typically avoided desserts unless there was a reason. But this… this was different. The sweetness was subtle, not overpowering. Beneath the light sugary taste was a delicate, roasted aroma, and if he paid attention, he could detect a faint but distinct bitterness that balanced everything out.
He liked it.
So much, in fact, that his eyes quietly drifted toward the bag of cookies once more.
"…"
No, don't be shameless, he told himself. Don't fight over food with a girl who's already this pitiful-looking. Dignity, Natsukawa Kanade. Dignity.
But before he could redirect his gaze elsewhere, Kato's soft voice broke through his restraint.
"Would you like another one?" she asked with a faint smile. "Try eating it a bit slower this time… ne?"
"…!"
He paused.
She saw right through him.
Kanade didn't say anything, but his hand moved on its own, as if guided by divine permission. He picked up a second cookie—this time, treating it more like a gourmet tasting session than a quick snack.
Rather than tossing it in whole, he broke it neatly in half and took a small bite. And this time… he understood.
The flavor danced differently.
The initial bite gave way to a smooth bitterness, not harsh, but aromatic—like freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air on a quiet morning. But then, almost immediately, a delicate sweetness bloomed, not bold, but warm and nostalgic, like the memory of a summer festival long past. It rose gently before fading, leaving behind a subtle trail of satisfaction.
The two flavors had personalities of their own—bitterness as the proud, stoic samurai guarding the gate, and sweetness as the cheeky shrine maiden sneaking into the courtyard anyway.
"…This is completely different from just scarfing it down," Kanade muttered in awe. "How did you make this?"
He wasn't exaggerating. It was the first time he'd ever tasted a cookie that could be "read" in layers—flavor unfolding with each thoughtful bite. Honestly, was she some kind of dessert tensai secretly hiding her talents behind a school uniform?
Kato lightly tucked her hair behind her ear. "I added some ground coffee beans to the mix," she said gently. "That way, the bitterness seeps in and balances the sweetness."
Even though it was technically a deviation from the standard cookie formula, the way she explained it made it sound like a quiet little innovation.
"Since it was my first time experimenting with this, I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I'm glad you like it."
"Mm, it really is different…" Eriri said, nodding as she munched happily beside them. Her cheeks were puffed like a chipmunk's, and for once, she looked genuinely content. "I usually only go for super sweet stuff, but this combo's kind of addictive…"
Of course, the real reason she was indulging this cookie talk so hard was simple—as long as they were chatting about desserts, it meant no more studying!
Victoryyy~!
"…Haa…" Kanade didn't comment further. Not because he didn't have more to say, but because deep down, he was a little annoyed—he wanted another one, but he couldn't shamelessly steal from Eriri's share.
Kato, noticing his silence, spoke again. "If Natsukawa-kun likes them, I can bring you more next time," she offered, twirling a lock of hair with one hand. Her expression was soft, almost shy. "I made too many by accident, so there's still a bunch at home…"
"Eh?" Kanade blinked, caught off guard. But he nodded. "Sure… I'd appreciate that. Thanks, Kato."
"You're welcome," she said with a small smile. "After all, you've been helping me out a lot too."
"…Have I?"
He tilted his head slightly. Try as he might, he couldn't recall doing anything that helpful. If anything, she was the one constantly doing small favors for him.
"For example, the math test," she said with a laugh. "If it wasn't for your help, I might have totally failed today."
"…Ah. Sou ka…"
So this was a pre-emptive thank-you gift?
Kanade internally sighed. So I'm being bribed with cookies now? …Not a bad deal, honestly.
"Well then," he said confidently, puffing out his chest just a bit. "Leave it to me! I'll make sure you pass next time too, no matter what!"
"Eh? Ehhh?" Eriri, who had been blissfully chewing, suddenly turned toward them with a look of betrayal. "Why is Megumi's goal so easy?! You told me I had to get a B!"
"Of course it's different," Kanade raised an eyebrow, arms crossed like a stern homeroom teacher. "Math and English aren't even on the same level of difficulty, okay? With math, even if you think you know it, there's still a chance you'll mess up. But English—if you know it, then you definitely know it."
"Haa? What kind of logic is that..." Eriri mumbled, looking utterly dazed. Her eyes glazed over, and her head began to sway like a broken metronome. "Anyway, you're always right... so annoying..."
Kanade let out a sigh—part pity, part helplessness. "It'd be nice if you at least tried to argue back with proper logic once in a while."
Of course, he knew better than to bring up her—Kasumigaoka-senpai. The second that name popped up, Eriri's tsundere switch would flip hard enough to shatter windows. In any verbal battle between the two, Eriri usually got steamrolled. The only times she scored even a half-win were when someone else jumped in to bail her out. Honestly, it was almost impressive how bad she was at arguing, considering how much she liked to argue.
"Okay, enough of the stalling." Kanade clapped his hands sharply, voice gaining edge. "You've had a long enough break. Time to get back to memorizing your vocab. I'll be quizzing you soon—and if you make any more outrageous mistakes…"
He narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling into a dark smile. "You might not sleep well tonight, yo."
"Ugh…" Eriri winced like she'd been hit with a low-level Genjutsu. Still, the threat worked. She immediately fell silent, instinctively reaching up to touch the sticker still stuck to her forehead. With a reluctant groan, she returned to her memorization grind.
Satisfied, Kanade turned to the calm, ever-reliable Kato Megumi.
"So, Kato, what part of math is giving you trouble? Is it equations? Inequalities? Geometry? Functions?" He listed each topic like a veteran warrior listing his past enemies. "Or is it that wonderful slice of despair called trigonometry?"
Japan's high school math curriculum was standardized nationwide, and by now—well into the first semester of their second year—their class had already covered most of the core foundations: algebra, calculus basics, and yes… the dreaded trig. A subject so universally hated it deserved its own anime villain arc.
"Um…" Kato hesitated slightly.
Her voice was soft, but the pause made Kanade narrow his eyes. Was she… unsure of what she didn't understand? That was rare. Eriri, sure. But Kato?
He almost began to suspect the worst.
Luckily, that fear was unfounded. Kato soon pulled out a neatly kept workbook and pushed it toward him. "These questions… I didn't really get them."
Kanade leaned in, quickly scanning the open pages. He noticed a few lightly marked circles and faint scribbles. Her handwriting was clean, but clearly troubled.
"Let me see… mm, this one can be solved like this."
To a normal student, the problem might've seemed complicated. But to Natsukawa Kanade—a self-proclaimed battle-hardened academic warrior—this was child's play.
He'd already self-studied most of the high school curriculum before summer vacation in his second year. Not out of pure diligence, but because at one point, he had a very particular goal in mind: to impress Kaguya Shinomiya. And that required mastery of all subjects. Naturally.
So now, solving this kind of problem? Yatta ne. Just muscle memory at this point.
He explained the steps clearly, using concise examples and breaking down the logic behind each part.
When he finished, he turned to Kato, voice gentle but curious. "Was anything unclear?"
He never asked, "Did you get it?" That always felt kind of… off. Like it assumed the student was the problem. Instead, Kanade always framed it as his responsibility to explain better.
"Un," Kato nodded with her usual serene expression. "I understood. Thank you, Natsukawa-kun."
"Alright, then let's move to the next one." He scanned the question and quickly mapped out a solution in his head.
This time, though, as he finished his explanation, Kato didn't respond right away. She tapped her eraser softly on the desk, eyes thoughtful.
"That…"
Kanade raised an eyebrow. That pause again. A telltale sign.
He immediately followed up, "Which part didn't I explain clearly?"
"Umm…" She pointed lightly to the top of the problem with one slim finger. "From here, actually."
"…"
Kanade froze.
From the beginning?!
A wave of quiet embarrassment hit him like a chalkboard eraser to the face. He was confident in his teaching ability—maybe too confident. He scratched his cheek awkwardly, a wry smile twitching at the corners of his lips.