Kato Megumi: Don't Look Back, I'm Tomoya-kun

Looking at Tomoya Aki's departing figure, Kato Megumi silently stared at his back. Disappointment was present—three parts of it—balanced with three parts of cold indifference, four parts of calm acceptance, and an overwhelming ninety parts of silence in her clear, dark eyes.

The one emotion absent from her heart was anger.

Yes, Kato Megumi thought she should feel anger or fury, but instead, she found herself only slightly disappointed. Numbness crept in, overshadowed by the hollow unhappiness of being overlooked and discarded like an unimportant pawn.

Even so, Kato Megumi couldn't muster resentment for Aki Tomoya.

His actions might fill her with a mild disgust, but not hate. Never hate.

"It's time to go back." The girl's slender fingers pinched the hem of her skirt lightly. Her gaze dropped to the white over-the-knee socks and the miniskirt she wore—a combination Eriri had suggested with enthusiasm. A twinge of regret accompanied her thoughts.

"If Izumi-kun saw this outfit, he'd probably compliment me," she murmured to herself. The thought flickered briefly in her mind, lighting up a dim corner. "But Izumi-kun must have gone home by now."

As the sky turned darker, hunger began to gnaw at her, and just as she rose to leave, a warm, familiar voice reached her ears.

"Kato and I really must be destined to meet. May I treat you to dinner?"

Surprised, Kato Megumi looked up, meeting Izumi Yuu's confident and handsome face. Her lips curved into a faint, almost involuntary smile as she softly responded, "If it's you, then of course."

"Izumi-kun."

Of course, coincidences like these rarely happen in real life. Most of them are the results of someone else's careful intentions.

And no matter how precise Izumi Yuu's timing might seem, he wasn't a master of divine calculation.

When Eriri had mentioned her urgent task and left for the club's workspace, Izumi Yuu had abandoned the idea of escorting her. After all, as the rich and accomplished ace of the club, Eriri could easily hail a taxi in Tokyo without a care.

Bidding her farewell, Izumi Yuu had remained seated at the café, briefly watching Eriri's petite figure retreat.

[Watching the girl's back fade into the distance, a perverted idea worms its way into your mind—what if you, a Tokyo man with nothing left to lose, followed her? Stalked her to a lonely corner and executed a perfectly criminal kidnapping plot? Oh, the twisted thrill!]

"No, no, no!" Izumi Yuu interrupted the narrator's absurd suggestions with a sharp shake of his head. "Why does this narration keep escalating to dangerous scenarios? Do you all want me to get caught and tossed into Tokyo Bay?"

If this ridiculous narrator had a title, Izumi Yuu was sure it would be The System for Speedrunning Bad Endings.

[Oh? You want to cut ties with this bright and omniscient narrator? An amateur move! But wait—just as you're about to rebel, you spot Kato Megumi, abandoned and dejected, sitting alone on a bench outside the café. Perfect! This is your chance to swoop in and "comfort" her. All it takes is a little persuasion—or perhaps force—if she resists.]

The narrator's voice trailed off into yet another horrifying monologue, but Izumi Yuu ignored it, sifting through the useful information hidden beneath the nonsense.

"Tomoya Aki left Kato Megumi alone? That sounds exactly like him," Izumi Yuu muttered. "He probably got a call from someone else and rushed off. Knowing him, the most likely person is Kasumigaoka Utaha. She's working on a new volume, after all."

His analysis was spot-on. And though he mocked the narrator internally, he had to admit that its omniscient hints were occasionally helpful.

Guided by the clues, Izumi Yuu quickly located Kato Megumi.

Thus, he found himself standing in front of her, inviting her to dinner.

---

In the restaurant, the two sat facing each other, waiting for their food. Kato Megumi's surprise hadn't yet faded; her delight lingered quietly beneath her calm demeanor.

Despite knowing that Izumi Yuu had been at the mall with Eriri, she was still pleased—no, thrilled—that he had noticed her and extended an invitation.

Yes, Kato Megumi realized, it was this moment of warmth and serendipity that lit up her otherwise dull day.

Izumi Yuu leaned back casually, observing Kato Megumi's weekend outfit. The pink casual top paired with a white miniskirt and over-the-knee socks made her look youthful and radiant.

[The sight of the girl across from you stirs a mischievous excitement. You could "accidentally" drop your chopsticks, peek under the table, and check—]

"Stop right there," Izumi Yuu mentally cut off the narrator, glancing at Kato Megumi as he began speaking.

"Kato's outfit today is stunning. It's refreshing to see you outside the academy like this."

"Eh?" Kato Megumi's cheeks flushed a light pink at the compliment. "Izumi-kun is so direct; it's a little embarrassing." She shifted slightly in her seat before curiously asking, "But why are you here?"

Having just witnessed the scene of Izumi Yu and Eriri together, Kato Megumi couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease about the answer Izumi Yu might give.

She feared that he might admit to dating someone else, but she was equally troubled by the possibility of him lying to her.

Both scenarios pointed to a deeper issue with Izumi Yu.

If he chose the former, it would mean he wasn't as straightforward as she had hoped. If he resorted to the latter, it would mean he was deceiving not just her, but also himself.

Izumi Yuu, maintaining his composure, smiled. "I had some part-time work today. I was discussing details with my partner."

Izumi Yu understood a simple yet profound truth: one lie often demands countless others to sustain it. Besides, there was nothing between him and Eriri, so there was no reason to deceive Kato Megumi.

Moreover, Kato Megumi had appeared on the bench outside the café, likely having witnessed the scene between him and Eriri. If he lied, it would only create unnecessary complications.

"Partner? I see." Kato Megumi blinked in mild surprise but didn't press further.

Still, a faint curiosity lingered in her heart.

Izumi Yu's part-time job was somehow connected to Eriri. Could it involve something related to painting?

But her curiosity was soon overshadowed by a quiet sense of relief.

The fact that Izumi Yu had been so open and honest reassured her—there was no deeper connection between him and Eriri.

Even Kato Megumi herself couldn't quite explain the peace that washed over her when she heard the word "partner."

For reasons she couldn't fully grasp, her heart felt at ease, and the weight of uncertainty lifted.

"And what about you?" Izumi Yuu asked, leaning forward slightly. "Wasn't today supposed to be a day for collecting materials with Tomoya-san?"

Kato Megumi's expression didn't waver. Calmly, she replied, "Tomoya-san left after getting a call from someone else. He seemed to have something urgent to handle."

Kato Megumi's voice and emotions were extremely stable, as if she was just talking about something that had nothing to do with her.

"Sorry, it seems I brought up something that upset you," Izumi Yu said, his face showing a hint of guilt as he looked at Kato Megumi.

[Looking at the innocent girl in front of you, and being well-versed in the ways of green tea, you can't help but think: isn't this an easy win? With just a few well-placed words, she'll open the door she's guarded for sixteen years...]

Izumi Yu inwardly rolled his eyes at the ridiculous narration playing in his mind.

Earnestly teaching? Patiently guiding? Seriously? Where is pure love?

"Am I really the type to manipulate and take advantage of others?!" he thought indignantly, though a faint flicker of hesitation crossed his mind.

But... if Kato Megumi were to make a certain kind of bold request... should I agree or not? This is a tough one...

---

"Something upsetting?"

Kato Megumi blinked, caught off guard by Izumi Yu's words.

Should I feel upset? she wondered. By all accounts, she probably should.

After all, Aki Tomoya had invited her to the mall to gather reference materials over the weekend, only to ditch her halfway for Kasumigaoka Utaha. In some ways, it was even worse than standing her up.

And yet, there was no wave of disappointment, no burst of irritation. Neither on the surface nor deep within her heart did she feel much of anything.

It was as if Tomoya Aki was slowly fading from her life, slipping into irrelevance. The spark she once felt when she thought of him had vanished entirely, leaving only silence in its place.

"It's okay," Kato Megumi finally replied, her voice calm and composed. Meeting Izumi Yu's apologetic gaze, she offered a gentle smile. "I'm not upset at all. In fact, I'm quite Happy to run into you here, Izumi-kun."

"Oh?"

After saying that, Kato Megumi's face turned slightly red, her fair and slender hands resting between her legs as she looked a little nervous.

Kato Megumi herself couldn't quite understand why she had instinctively spoken such straightforward and bold words.

But, deep down, she knew those words reflected exactly how she felt.

The unhappiness of being stood up by Aki Tomoya paled in comparison to the unexpected joy of meeting Izumi Yuu here and being invited to dinner by him.

Hearing the girl's candid confession, Izumi Yuu, who was sitting across from her, was momentarily stunned. He stared at Kato Megumi, who appeared both slightly shy and incredibly earnest, feeling as though his heart had been struck by something profound.

The way she looked—so adorable, so serious—and the weight of her sincere words felt almost unfair. How could anyone be expected to keep their composure in the face of such pure charm?