Heartbeats and Illusions

By all standards of solitary living, Natsukawa Kanade had perfected the art of independence. His lifestyle was the envy of any high schooler living alone: a balanced diet, an immaculate schedule, and a spotless personal space—all while avoiding any undue complications, like inviting random women into his home. On the surface, he seemed like the ideal teenager.

But reality was far more chaotic. The truth of his existence was anchored to a single force of nature: Shiina Mahiru, the self-proclaimed "angel" from next door. Her meddling—no, her crusade—to keep him from descending into laziness had turned his orderly life upside down.

"If you can't take care of yourself, Kanade, then I'll do it for you," she'd declared with a tone that brooked no argument. Thus began the era of Natsukawa Kanade's reluctant domestication.

Kanade yawned as he shuffled into his living room. The scent of freshly brewed tea wafted toward him, and there she was, seated primly on his couch as if she owned the place. Shiina Mahiru, her golden-brown hair glinting in the sunlight, turned toward him with a radiant smile that could rival a morning sunrise.

"Good morning, Kanade," she greeted, her voice as soft and melodic as ever.

"...Good morning," Kanade replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He'd long since stopped questioning how she managed to infiltrate his house so early.

Shiina hopped up, smoothing the apron she always wore when playing homemaker. "Breakfast is ready. Don't dawdle."

Kanade's gaze shifted to the dining table, where a spread of meticulously prepared dishes awaited him. Miso soup, grilled fish, perfectly steamed rice—it was a sight that could bring tears to the eyes of even the most hardened bachelor.

"Thanks," he muttered as he sat down, though his tone lacked enthusiasm. He dug into the meal, savoring the taste while his mind wandered to a peculiar thought: was Shiina's angelic façade hiding a tsundere streak?

After all, she'd insisted he "be prepared" for her interventions, yet her actions were anything but subtle. Over the past few weeks, her caretaking had escalated from cooking dinners to preparing all three meals and even tidying up his apartment.

It wasn't as though he disliked the attention—in fact, her presence made his solitary lifestyle significantly more pleasant. But the arrangement came with its share of embarrassments. He winced, recalling the infamous laundry incident, when Shiina had discovered… that… particular pair of boxers.

Her mortified expression and subsequent retreat to her apartment had been burned into his memory. Since then, she'd flatly refused to handle his laundry, no matter how much he assured her it was safe.

"Do you have plans today?" Shiina's voice broke through his musings. She was seated across from him, her expression serene as she sipped her tea.

"Yeah," Kanade nodded, swallowing a mouthful of rice. "I'm meeting up with a friend later."

Shiina's lips curved into a faint smile, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of disappointment. "I see. Be careful on the way, and let me know when you get back."

He nodded again, grateful that she didn't press for details. For all her meddling, Shiina had a remarkable sense of boundaries when it came to his social life. She never pried too deeply, a restraint Kanade both respected and appreciated.

"What about you?" he asked, his tone casual. "Any plans?"

Shiina tilted her head slightly, her cheeks taking on a rosy hue. "I was planning to spend the day with you, but since you're busy, I'll visit Kato-san instead."

Kanade blinked. "Kato? As in Kato Megumi? You two are close?"

Shiina's blush deepened. "We've been chatting on Line recently. She's… surprisingly easy to talk to."

Kanade couldn't help but marvel at Kato's uncanny ability to charm even the most reserved individuals. In just one week, she'd managed to forge a connection with Shiina—a feat that felt almost supernatural.

"That's good," he said simply, hiding a smirk. The image of Kato and Shiina bonding over some shared interest was oddly heartwarming.

After finishing his meal, Kanade excused himself to get ready. He donned a casual outfit, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed for the door. Shiina saw him off, her expression a mix of cheer and concern.

"I'm off," he said.

"Safe travels," she replied, her voice soft yet firm.

The journey to his meeting place was uneventful. Kanade boarded the tram, rode a few stops, and walked a short distance to the designated spot. Waiting for him was a petite girl with short brown hair, her white blouse and striped skirt giving her a mischievous air. Isshiki Iroha, his junior, was bouncing on her heels, her face lighting up when she spotted him.

"Senpai! You're finally here!" she called out, waving enthusiastically.

Kanade checked the time on his phone. "I'm not late. You're just early."

"Hmph! For a date, Senpai, arriving after the girl is basically being late!"

Kanade froze. "...Date?"

"Of course!" Isshiki grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Kanade turned on his heel without hesitation. "I'm going home."

Before he could take another step, Isshiki grabbed the corner of his jacket, her pout transforming into a playful smirk. "Now, now, Senpai. Don't be so cold. It's just a little joke."

"Wait, wait, wait! Don't be like that!" Iroha quickly grabbed the edge of his jacket, tugging at it with the determination of someone who had clearly planned for this. "It's not a real date! It's... it's a rehearsal! Yeah, like collecting materials or something! So I can get familiar with the whole dating process. You know, for... research purposes!"

"..." Kanade froze, sighing inwardly as his resolve faltered. He had no idea how, but this tiny devil always managed to box him into a corner. With her eager puppy eyes staring up at him, resistance felt futile. Still, he knew this would come back to haunt him.

"Fine," he muttered reluctantly.

But as he followed her lead, Kanade couldn't shake the feeling that agreeing to this was a mistake. A part of him wondered if he should have stood firm and refused outright. Then again, Isshiki Iroha wasn't the type to take "no" for an answer. And the thought of avoiding her inevitable sulking? Exhausting.

Besides, there was that pesky little list of supporters. If keeping her happy meant maintaining his influence, maybe it wasn't such a bad deal... or so he tried to convince himself.

"So, where are we headed first?" Kanade asked, trying to mask his resignation. "Just so you know, I'm not exactly an expert on the trendy spots around here."

"No worries, Senior!" Iroha puffed out her chest with confidence, brandishing a small notebook like it was a sacred artifact. "I've got everything planned out perfectly! All you have to do is follow me!"

Kanade raised an eyebrow. If she had a plan, why not just do this with the person she actually liked? What was the point of roping him into a "rehearsal"? Still, his feet moved obediently, betraying his inner complaints.

Their first destination turned out to be a movie theater. A classic choice, Kanade mused, though it felt cliché enough to make him roll his eyes.

"This one!" Iroha pointed dramatically at a poster on the wall. Kanade followed her gaze and froze. Titanic. The timeless, overly sentimental romance epic.

"...Seriously?"

"What? It's a classic!" Iroha retorted, her hands on her hips like she'd just won an argument he hadn't even started. "You're not thinking of ditching me to see something else, are you?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, leaning in closer.

Kanade sighed, lifting his hands in surrender. "Relax. I'm not that kind of guy." He shook his head. Was she really imagining he'd pull something that petty? Did people like that even exist outside of her overactive imagination?

"I was just going to say, 'I'll go buy the tickets.'"

Iroha's face lit up immediately. "Oh! Then go early and come back fast, Senior!" she said cheerfully, bouncing on her heels. "Oh, and don't forget to grab a big bucket of popcorn! Iroha likes the biggest ones!"

Kanade turned to leave, muttering just loud enough for her to hear, "Buy it yourself..."

Her laughter followed him like a mischievous echo.

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