Heartbeats and Illusions

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Natsukawa Kanade asked, his curiosity piqued as he adjusted his phone on a stand by the bathtub.

Holding the phone with one hand was too much effort, and lying on his back with his arms resting on the edge of the tub felt far more comfortable. The warm water enveloped him, and he thought idly about how he could spend an eternity like this if dehydration weren't an issue.

On the other end of the line, Eriri's voice came through weakly, her words halting and hesitant. "Yes, yes, just, um… that…"

Kanade raised an eyebrow. When had Eriri become so socially awkward? They were just on a voice call, and yet she sounded like she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"Let me guess," Kanade said with a knowing smile. "The deadline's closing in, and you haven't finished your draft yet?"

A surprised gasp came through the speaker. "H-How did you know that?" Eriri stammered.

Kanade chuckled softly. "You've made it pretty obvious. You're hesitating, struggling to say what you want—it's clearly something difficult to talk about."

His casual tone belied the accuracy of his deduction. He'd seen this side of Eriri before, during a particularly frantic deadline rush. Back then, she'd approached him for help with finishing her work, a situation that had left quite the impression.

Of course, his assistance hadn't involved drawing; he lacked the skills for that. Instead, he'd helped color her drafts, an easier but still time-consuming task. The real challenge had been Eriri's pride, coupled with the peculiar nature of her work—humiliation-themed manga with tastes so niche they made Kanade's teenage brain blush just thinking about it.

Although Eriri's identity as "Kashiwagi Eri" had long been revealed to the public, she continued to guard it fiercely, especially around Kanade. For her to swallow her pride and ask for his help back then had been no small feat.

Naturally, Kanade had agreed to help. At the time, he'd been pursuing her and was eager for any opportunity to spend time together. They had worked tirelessly, dividing the labor: she drew, and he colored. Together, they managed to submit the manuscript just an hour before the deadline.

That experience was memorable, both exhilarating and torturous. On one hand, Kanade relished the time spent close to Eriri; on the other hand, he was still a typical high school boy, struggling to rein in his adolescent instincts.

By sheer luck—or perhaps self-restraint—he hadn't acted on those impulses. Looking back, he felt relieved. Any lapse in judgment could have irreparably damaged their friendship, a thought that still sent a shiver down his spine.

Kanade sighed, bringing himself back to the present. "I'm sorry, Eriri. It's not that I don't want to help, but… well, you know why," he said gently, his tone softening as memories of their past collaboration resurfaced.

He paused before offering a suggestion. "Why don't you ask Kato? She's meticulous and far more capable than I am. Honestly, she'd be perfect for this."

"And besides," he added internally, "you're both girls, so it would probably be less awkward."

"No way!" Eriri's voice suddenly grew firm, surprising Kanade with her determination.

"Why not? I really think she's better suited for this than I am."

"Because… because…" Eriri's voice wavered as she scrambled for an excuse. "That's it! If Kato helps, she'll figure out who I am as a manga artist! That's absolutely out of the question!"

Kanade blinked in surprise. "Wait, Kato doesn't already know your identity?"

"She… shouldn't?" Eriri's voice faltered, uncertainty creeping into her words.

Kanade frowned slightly. Given Kato's sharp observational skills, he found it hard to believe she hadn't already pieced things together. But then again, Eriri had been careful—or so she thought.

"It's all Kasumigaoka's fault!" Eriri suddenly burst out, her frustration bubbling over. "That meddling woman keeps dropping hints in the club, going on about 'Kashiwagi Eri' this and 'Kashiwagi Eri-sensei' that! She never thinks about keeping things discreet!"

Eriri's voice trembled as she pleaded, "Please help me. I-I believe in you. I know you won't… do anything inappropriate…"

Though he couldn't see her expression through the call, the subtle softness in her tone tugged at Natsukawa Kanade's heartstrings. She sounded uncharacteristically vulnerable—almost coquettish.

Wait a minute. Was this really Eriri? The usually sharp-tongued and prideful girl?

Kanade felt a mix of amusement and admiration. Why is she so cute today? he thought, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile.

For as long as he'd known Eriri, she'd been the quintessential tsundere, all fiery words and reluctant gratitude. But this softer, sweeter side of her… it was new. Unexpected. And surprisingly endearing.

A combination of her tsundere antics with this newfound charm? Now that would be irresistible.

"Alright," Kanade said after a moment, his voice steady. "Since you trust me that much, I'll help."

Eriri was quiet for a beat, then practically squealed, "Really?! Ahem—I mean, I'll leave it to you, then."

"Of course," Kanade replied, nodding to himself. It's just coloring a few pages. What could go wrong?

He stood up from the bathtub, deciding it was time to end his soak. The water had cooled, and staying any longer would only make him feel sluggish.

Suddenly, a faint, odd sound came from his phone. "Huh?" Kanade frowned, leaning down to pick it up.

The screen showed that the call had disconnected. "That's strange," he muttered. Was that Eriri? Or…?

Shrugging, Kanade set the phone aside, chalking it up to a random glitch. He had more immediate concerns, like drying off and getting ready for bed.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the call, Eriri was a mess of emotions. Dressed in an elegant, doll-like outfit she'd put on for no real reason other than her own whims, she now sat on her bed, hands covering her face.

Her cheeks burned, her heart raced, and muffled noises of distress escaped her lips. "W-W-Why is it so big?!"

What had caused this outburst?

Well, just as Kanade had stood to leave the bathtub, Eriri's gaze had wandered—and she'd accidentally seen everything.

Though her career as a book artist meant she'd drawn countless risqué scenes, her real-life experience was limited to statues and artistic models used for reference. None of them could have prepared her for the real thing.

And Kanade's… well, let's just say it defied all her expectations.

"That's not normal!" she wailed into her hands, as if trying to block out the memory. "It's way too… it'll definitely break something!"

Back in his apartment, Kanade remained blissfully unaware of the emotional crisis he'd inadvertently triggered. He dried himself off, put on fresh underwear, and poured himself a warm cup of milk.

The soothing drink was a small ritual that always helped him wind down. As the warm liquid slid down his throat, he sighed in contentment.

"Goodnight, today," Kanade murmured to himself as he climbed into bed, his mind at peace and ready for sleep.

Little did he know, Eriri was still sitting on her bed, replaying the moment in her mind and descending deeper into a spiral of embarrassment and awkward fantasies. If only she could forget what she'd seen—or at least figure out how to face Kanade the next day without combusting on the spot.