Crossover: After deciding to give up, i became popular

"Can you walk?"

"My ankle's twisted, I can't move. Junior, carry me!"

"You have quite the imagination, Senpai." Kanade rolled his eyes, but after glancing at the slightly swollen bump on Kasumigaoka's ankle, he sighed.

"Just this once."

To carry a girl who had rejected his confession—this was prime "simp" material if it had been in the past. Still, he couldn't leave Kasumigaoka in this state when it was partially his fault.

"Hey, Junior, who else has seen you act like this?"

"…" Kanade kept silent.

He understood now that Kasumigaoka was skilled at provoking reactions. The best way to deal with her was to say nothing at all.

"Then let me ask differently. Junior… how many people have rejected you before?"

"Hiss…" Kanade drew a sharp breath, nearly dropping her.

What was this, reopening old wounds? Did she have to bring that up?

"Don't get so worked up, Junior. I was just asking." Even Kasumigaoka seemed a bit nervous now.

After a long pause, Kanade finally spoke, his voice steady. "Shiina Mahiru, you, Sawamura Eriri, Yukinoshita Yukino, and Shinomiya Kaguya…"

He didn't see the point in hiding it. Anyone who knew him well could piece it together, and Kasumigaoka already knew a lot about him.

"Four people, huh…" Kasumigaoka nodded, pretending to be deep in thought. "Did you really like them?"

"I liked those four. Not you." Kanade's tone was decisive.

At least the other four didn't actively sabotage his relationships or cause trouble for him. Kasumigaoka, on the other hand, was a professional disruptor.

Kanade couldn't help but feel bitter about his past choices. If he'd confessed to someone else first… though confessing to Kato first might've been even harder…

"So, in your heart, I hold the most unique place?" Kasumigaoka's voice carried a hint of excitement as if she'd found the key to his soul.

"I'd say you're exceptionally good at deluding yourself," Kanade quipped, unimpressed.

Where did she even get the nerve to say something like that?

"Is your ankle better now? Let's find a place to treat it. I can't exactly carry you on the train like this."

"If Junior doesn't mind…"

"I mind."

"Tch… Then let's head back to where we met earlier…"

"Carrying you all the way back? Are you a demon, Senpai?"

"I'm joking! Look, there's a hotel right over there."

"Senpai, just a reminder: I'm under 18."

"What are you thinking? I'm under 18 too! The room was booked by my editor, Machida Sonoko. Unlike a certain someone wandering aimlessly, I'm here for work—research, okay?"

"…Fine." Kanade reluctantly agreed.

Thank goodness the destination wasn't far. Any more walking and he might have collapsed. Kasumigaoka was surprisingly heavy for someone so slender. Carrying her was genuinely exhausting.

"I feel like you're thinking something very rude, Junior. Need me to help relax that brain of yours?"

"Please don't. I might accidentally drop you."

"Tch…" Kasumigaoka clicked her tongue and poked Kanade's cheek in mock annoyance. "You'd better not be badmouthing me in your head, or else… I'll tell everyone about this side of you!"

Of course, she was bluffing. Kasumigaoka fully intended to keep this side of her Junior all to herself, a secret to treasure forever. She wouldn't share it with any of the other "foxes."

In her mind, she had the upper hand now. Kanade himself had admitted she was the most "unique." All she had to do was peel back the layers of his facade, step by step…

Her cherished copy of The Boyfriend Adjustment Handbook, tucked away in her nightstand, could finally see some action!

"Suit yourself." Kanade shrugged.

If this had been before, he might've cared, but now? He'd already given up trying to control his image. What could she possibly do to him? Worst case, he'd stay single forever.

Following Kasumigaoka's directions, Kanade carried her to Room 205. After swiping the key card and entering, he carefully set her down on the bed. Then, he went to the bathroom to fetch a basin of cold water.

"Wash your foot first, and then I'll apply some medicine."

"Hmm? Medicine?" Kasumigaoka blinked, realizing that Kanade had left earlier to buy first aid supplies.

She felt an unexpected warmth in her chest. While she had been thinking about him, he had been thinking about her, too.

See? They were meant to be together!

"Junior, help me!" Kasumigaoka's tone was unusually bubbly, her fatigue from walking seemingly forgotten.

Kanade saw where this was going and shook his head. "I refuse."

He even fanned himself dramatically, pretending to be disgusted.

Kasumigaoka glared at him but said nothing more. As a girl, she was just as self-conscious about these things as he was.

After carefully removing her stockings and washing her foot, she flopped back onto the bed, looking completely at ease.

Kanade wasn't fazed. Donning a pair of medical gloves, he got to work.

First, he sterilized a needle with a lighter to lance the blisters that had formed from walking too much. Then, he disinfected the wounds with iodine before covering them with bandages.

Finally, he treated her sprain, spraying a pain-relief mist and applying a cold compress.

"That should do it. Keep off your foot for a while and let it heal," Kanade instructed, noticing Kasumigaoka's starry-eyed expression.

"You even know this stuff? You're amazing, Junior!"

"It's just basic first aid. You mean to tell me you didn't know this, Senpai? Seriously?"

"With you around, why do I need to know? You've got it covered."

"…" Kanade sighed, realizing there was no point arguing with her.

"Junior, my foot's still injured. Will you carry me to school every day?"

"Even if I were willing, do you expect me to stick around for everything? You'd still need privacy for, well, bathroom trips, right?"

"…Fair." Kasumigaoka pouted, realizing she wouldn't get to see him for a while after this.

Still, she had caught a glimpse of his cold yet oddly endearing side today. That alone felt like a win.

"Junior, since my foot's like this, let's just stay here for the night. Maybe it'll heal by tomorrow!"

Kanade gave her a skeptical look. "Maybe, but only if you're lucky. As for staying here… I can't carry you to the train station even if I wanted to. I'm exhausted."

"Junior, a man shouldn't admit he's exhausted!"

"Whose fault do you think that is?" Kanade shot her a glare.

"Fine, I'll sleep here, and you can take the couch or something…"

"Absolutely not! You can't sleep out there alone. That's unacceptable!" Kasumigaoka protested.

"So what, you want me to leave?"

"You can… stay here…" Kasumigaoka's face turned bright red. "Just in the same room, okay? Don't get any weird ideas, Junior!"

"…Fine." Kanade finally relented. "I'll grab some extra bedding and sleep on the floor."

By the time Kanade returned with a blanket, Kasumigaoka had already changed into her pajamas and was tucked into bed, her face a mix of shyness and guardedness.

She really is cautious, Kanade thought, finding it oddly amusing.

After setting up his makeshift bed on the floor, Kanade lay down without a word.

"Goodnight, Junior."

"Yeah, yeah. Goodnight. Just go to sleep already."

Notes-Read advances chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X, i have finished uploading the whole series in patreon, a total of 274 chapters you can find it in the collections, thanks for supporting me and special thanks to all the patrons for joining