Crossover: After deciding to give up, i became popular

Kanade Natsukawa had a dream.

In it, he and the angelic Mahiru Shiina, clad in a school swimsuit, frolicked in a pool. At some point, they accidentally bumped into each other, and emboldened, he leaned closer.

"Is this okay?" he asked suggestively.

The angel didn't respond, likely because she didn't understand his intentions. Instead, she shyly looked away, too flustered to meet his gaze. Taking advantage of the moment, he pulled her into his arms without hesitation…

And then he woke up.

Just as the dream reached the threshold of what might be considered unsuitable for work, reality intervened, leaving Kanade to confront his own mind's lewd export.

"…"

Kanade got out of bed in silence and trudged to the bathroom for a cold shower, changing into fresh clothes afterward.

Primal urges are natural—eating, sleeping, and... the third thing. While reason might govern one's actions while awake, the subconscious, as Kanade learned, is another story.

Thank goodness he lived alone. At least there was no one to witness his embarrassment. It was the weekend, so he had time to recover from the mental fallout.

Still, guilt clung to him. He had resolved to be Mahiru's best friend, a dependable confidant who valued her above all else. Yet, the very next day, his subconscious betrayed him…

But could he really blame himself? Mahiru's allure was undeniable. Whether it was her captivating presence at the pool or her sleepy, doll-like charm as she clutched a cushion on his sofa last night, she was stunning.

And her behavior toward him had shifted dramatically.

Once upon a time, Mahiru had been guarded, keeping her distance from him with wary glances. Now, she was gentle, approachable, and seemingly easy to connect with. Yet, beneath her calm surface lay a subtle determination that remained unshaken.

What was it about girls that made them so unfathomable?

Mahiru's shifts were one thing. Then there was Kasumigaoka-senpai, who always seemed to flip her personality at will. And girls like Kaguya Shinomiya or Yukino Yukinoshita—enigmatic and unreadable. Even the ever-composed Megumi Kato carried an air of mystery.

As for Chika Fujiwara? Absolute chaos incarnate. Predicting her thoughts was a fool's errand.

Kanade sighed. The only girl whose thoughts he could consistently understand was Eriri. Being a tsundere made her a textbook case: her speech and actions aligned so well with her true emotions that it was almost laughably easy to decode. Lately, though, she had been showing signs of change, becoming more pensive and introspective.

In contrast, interactions with other boys, like Hachiman or Shirogane, were refreshingly straightforward. No pretenses, no emotional landmines—just simple camaraderie. Even risqué topics were fair game.

The knock on the door startled him.

"Who could it be this early?"

Curious, Kanade rinsed his mouth quickly and went to open the door.

"Shiina?"

Standing before him was none other than Mahiru Shiina, her delicate frame adorned in her usual modest spring attire.

Kanade's heart skipped a beat. The subject of his dream was now right in front of him. For a brief, irrational moment, he wondered if his dreams had synced with reality.

"P-please come in!"

"Excuse me." Mahiru nodded politely, slipping off her shoes and donning her designated indoor slippers.

The weather had grown warmer, and Kanade was dressed in a casual short-sleeved shirt. Mahiru's choice of clothing, however, still adhered to spring layers.

What a shame, he mused. A summer dress would suit her perfectly. His imagination spiraled into fantasies of Mahiru in a breezy sundress, twirling lightly…

Kanade shook his head, snapping himself out of his daze.

"I-I'll go wash my face real quick!" he blurted out before retreating to the bathroom.

He had already washed up earlier, but clearly, his mental state needed recalibrating.

Mahiru nodded without protest. She felt completely at ease in Kanade's home, to the point where it no longer felt like she was a guest.

As Kanade splashed cold water on his face, Mahiru wandered into the kitchen.

She was certain Kanade hadn't eaten breakfast yet—likely, he'd just woken up. The thought of cooking for him crossed her mind.

She wasn't sure what had possessed her to come over so early in the morning. If preparing dinner could be justified as an act of care for his well-being, then showing up to make breakfast was undeniably an act of domestic intimacy.

It felt like the behavior of a newlywed wife.

But Mahiru didn't mind if people misunderstood her intentions. She didn't even care if Kanade thought of it that way. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink as she began searching for ingredients.

To her dismay, Kanade's fridge was practically barren. Even his pantry was devoid of staples like bread or cereal.

"This is unacceptable," she murmured, her brow furrowing. Kanade's lifestyle was far too unhealthy for her liking. If left unchecked, he'd surely fall ill.

"Shiina?"

Kanade's voice jolted her from her thoughts.

He stepped into the living room, his gaze landing on Mahiru, who was now donning an apron she had apparently brought with her.

Kanade's emotions were conflicted.

Why would Mahiru come over unannounced to cook? Though her actions made sense on the surface, their implications were unsettling.

A same-age girl, showing up at a boy's home early in the morning, offering to make him breakfast—it was perplexing, even for Mahiru.

Was this just another one of her habits? Caring for him with no expectations in return? That part of her hadn't changed since they first met.

But had it gone too far? What if Mahiru intended to take over all three of his daily meals?

Was this what it felt like to be doted on by a beautiful girl?

"Kanade, really!" Mahiru's scolding tone snapped him out of his thoughts. "You can't keep skipping breakfast. It's bad for your health!"

As she tidied the kitchen, she continued her tirade.

"And the state of this place! I haven't been here in days, and look at it! The kitchen is a mess, the living room's worse—don't even get me started on your laundry. Why are your clothes everywhere? It's like you don't even care!"

Kanade sat meekly, not daring to interrupt.

Normally, he kept his apartment reasonably clean, but the past few days had been chaotic. Between sleepless nights and mounting stress, housekeeping had fallen by the wayside.

The only restful night he'd had was the one before, and even then, his dreams…

"Are you even listening to me?" Mahiru's sharp tone brought him back.

"Y-yes! I'm listening!" Kanade straightened up, nodding earnestly.

"Good. Start cleaning up while I go buy groceries."

"Wait, I can't let you do that!" Kanade protested.

The idea of his guest shopping for him was too much.

"Fine. Then you go shopping, and I'll clean up here," Mahiru relented after a moment's thought. She handed him a list and ushered him toward the door.

"Hurry up. Be careful on your way."

"…Got it."

Kanade sighed as he stepped out. How had his life come to this?

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