Crossover: After deciding to give up, i became popular

Past experiences weighed heavily on Kasumigaoka Utaha's heart, leaving her mood dampened each time she revisited them.

"Senpai, should I start now?" Katou Megumi's voice, light and airy like drifting clouds on a lazy afternoon, gently brought Utaha back to the present.

"Yes," Utaha nodded.

The memories were over. Perhaps she had been a failure once, making the wrong decisions, but she vowed never to repeat those mistakes.

"Habits, huh…" Katou tilted her head thoughtfully.

"If it's about Natsukawa-kun, he's pretty casual about food but seems to love coffee. He drinks it left-handed and doesn't like adding sugar…"

"Wait, Katou. That's not quite what I meant," Utaha interrupted hastily.

Katou's insights were fascinating—things even Utaha hadn't known. But they didn't align with the meeting's purpose. More importantly…

Utaha glanced subtly at Eriri, who seemed equally intrigued by the information.

Her resolve hardened.

"If possible, I'd like you to share details about his behavior toward girls—like subconscious gestures or facial expressions."

Katou Megumi was renowned in their club for her keen observational skills. Utaha trusted that her insights weren't born of romantic interest in Kanade but of her natural attentiveness.

After all, Katou had never been pursued by Kanade, unlike Eriri or Utaha herself. This alone was proof that Kanade didn't harbor feelings for her. His cold indifference toward girls he wasn't interested in was well-known.

That made Katou safe.

Her real threats were the girl from the "Service Club" and any potential future rivals for Kanade's heart.

Still, Utaha believed in her strategy. She would press forward, ensuring that Kanade saw only her. He had loved her once, and he could love her again. The second time would be decisive—this time, she would never let him go.

Information was key.

Love was war, and victory required superior intelligence.

But reality didn't always cooperate with her plans.

"Subtle gestures? Facial expressions?" Katou tilted her head again, looking genuinely puzzled. "I can't say I've noticed anything like that."

Utaha frowned. Could it be that even Katou couldn't decipher the truth behind Kanade's carefully maintained facade?

Or… was there another reason?

"It's fine, Katou. Even just a few—"

"Hey, Utaha, why are you giving Megumi such a hard time?" Eriri interjected, her tone sharp. "She's not some superpowered clairvoyant. How could she know that stuff?"

"Besides, who knows if the so-called info about Natsukawa… I mean, Kanade-kun is even legit," Eriri added, crossing her arms.

Utaha shot her a cool glance. Typical Eriri—carelessly revealing her true feelings while accusing others.

Hadn't she just said she was helping out because she pitied Utaha's efforts? And now it was all about her interest in Kanade's information? Pathetic.

"Fine," Utaha said smoothly. "Allow me to demonstrate."

"What I know about Kanade-kun is that when he's pursuing someone, he shows zero interest in anyone else."

"It's not about avoiding misunderstandings with the girl he likes—he's simply indifferent. It's like he's silently saying, 'I know what you're thinking, but it has nothing to do with me. Don't interfere with my life.'"

She spoke with a calm detachment, yet her words carried the weight of personal experience.

"At first, I thought he was just being cautious, worried about misinterpretation. But I realized his attitude didn't change whether the girl he liked was present or not."

"It hurt, honestly. It made me question if his feelings for me had ever been real. How could someone who supposedly liked me be so cold?"

"Then, by chance, I encountered him shortly after a breakup. I couldn't help but comfort him, and I found that the old Kanade was back—rational, considerate, charming, even warm."

"In that moment, I thought maybe this was fate's way of giving me a second chance, a 'regret remedy.' So I took it. I wasn't going to waste it."

"But it didn't last. One day, Kanade's attention was stolen away by another girl."

"You know the rest. I hit a wall again. After that, I didn't bother chasing him anymore."

Utaha's voice shifted fluidly, at times deep and somber, at others animated and emotional. But her face remained stoic, as if recounting someone else's story.

"That's the intel I have."

"I like Kanade-kun—deeply, undeniably. There's no one else for me." Her expression stayed neutral, but her confession landed like a thunderclap.

"Eriri Spencer Sawamura, I know you like him too. If you're willing, I'm prepared to compete with you fairly. But only if you stop sabotaging my chances."

Utaha had failed before. Many times, in fact. But the first failure was entirely her fault, and she wouldn't squander any more opportunities. Honesty was her only path forward.

Eriri already knew about her feelings, and Katou had likely pieced things together too. There was no point in hiding. Transparency might even lower their guard.

"…" Eriri stood frozen, stunned by Utaha's declaration.

Her mind raced.

Do I like Kanade?

Yes.

Perhaps she hadn't been willing to admit it before, clinging to her childhood friend ideal. But faced with Utaha's heartfelt confession, she couldn't deny the truth any longer.

"Hmph! I… I feel the same way! So don't think I'll back down!"

"Oh? Not bad, Eriri. Looks like you're capable of honesty after all," Utaha teased.

"What's that supposed to mean?! Are you mocking me?! I'll bite you, you know!"

"How quaint. Still just a little minnow…"

"Ugh! You black-stockinged fat cow!"

"Blonde-haired lapdog."

"Cow monster!"

"…"

As their argument escalated, Katou quietly pulled out her phone and began scrolling, uninterested in intervening.

She sighed inwardly. Why did I come today?

Apart from being subjected to Utaha's shameless flaunting, she hadn't accomplished anything.

Well… maybe she had enjoyed herself a little.

Whatever. Time to play some games.