Crossover: After deciding to give up, i became popular

The next time Kanade saw Mahiru, she had transformed into a vision of elegance. She wore a pure white dress, complemented by a dainty sunhat. Under the soft glow of the sunlight, she truly looked like an angel, radiating purity and beauty.

"D-Do I look strange?" Mahiru asked nervously, her small hands clenched over her chest, betraying her unease.

"Of course not! You look amazing!" Kanade responded instantly, shaking his head vigorously. "It suits you perfectly, Mahiru."

He had rehearsed this compliment countless times in his head, and finally, the opportunity had come to use it.

"Th-Thank you… Kanade, you look very handsome too…" A faint blush crept across Mahiru's cheeks as she lowered her gaze, a surge of joy warming her heart at his praise.

Her thoughts ran wild. She locked the image of Kanade, looking so dashing and kind, into her memory. The sweet words he spoke would echo in her mind for days. This kind of directness… It was too much!

"Thank you…" Kanade scratched his cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed.

During the time Mahiru changed, Kanade had also dressed up a bit. While he typically favored casual looks, he understood the importance of effort on a day out with someone special. To neglect his appearance would be disrespectful, even rude.

"Anywhere you want to go?" he asked, hoping she had a preference.

"I'll go wherever you decide," Mahiru replied with a small shake of her head. To her, it didn't matter where they went. The only thing that mattered was being with him.

"Then… how about KITTE?" Kanade suggested after a moment of thought.

Located near Tokyo Station, KITTE was a shopping center with a mix of shops, restaurants, and a small museum exhibit. It was a charming spot—perfect for friends to explore together. They could wander through its expansive halls, browse unique goods, or take a break at a cafe. It was the kind of place where time seemed to fly.

Mahiru readily agreed with a gentle nod.

The two strolled through KITTE, wandering past boutiques and exhibits. Mahiru's attention was soon drawn to a cat cafe called "Meow Meow Meow."

"Want to check it out?" Kanade offered.

Mahiru hesitated, then shook her head.

"Maybe next time… I don't think this outfit is good for visiting."

The thought of cat fur clinging to her pristine white dress made her nervous. The last thing she wanted was to look messy or make Kanade think she was careless.

"Alright. Let's save it for another day," Kanade agreed.

Though he liked cats, he couldn't shake a faint pang of guilt. Spending time surrounded by cats in the cafe might feel like betraying Yukki, the stray he used to care for but hadn't visited in a while.

After passing on the cat cafe, they visited the museum exhibits and grabbed some desserts to enjoy as they walked.

"The exhibits were really interesting… It's just a shame we couldn't take any pictures," Mahiru said with a hint of regret.

"It's the rules, I guess," Kanade said. "If you want, we can come back another time."

"Would you come with me again?"

"Of course."

"But… it seemed like you weren't enjoying yourself," Mahiru said softly, her brows knitting with concern.

"Well… I guess I'm not really into that kind of thing," Kanade admitted sheepishly.

"..." Mahiru fell silent. She wanted to cheer him up but didn't know how.

Their mood turned quiet as they walked on. Then, as they turned a corner, a sudden commotion broke the silence—a small boy ran straight into them.

"Ah! I-I'm sorry!" the boy stammered, looking on the verge of tears.

Moments later, his mother caught up, bowing deeply in apology. "I'm so sorry! It's all my son's fault. Please let me make it up to you!"

Kanade was about to reply when Mahiru spoke first, her tone gentle and reassuring.

"It's okay. I should've been watching where I was going, too. Please don't worry about it."

Mahiru knelt down and patted the boy's head, her smile as radiant as ever. "You have to be more careful, okay? Running around like that can cause trouble for others."

"I understand. Thank you, big sister…"

After reassuring the boy and declining the mother's offer to compensate them, Mahiru and Kanade sat down on a nearby bench to rest.

Kanade took out a handkerchief and began dabbing at the ice cream stains on Mahiru's dress. The child's fallen cone had splattered her pristine outfit with sticky streaks of pink and white.

"Should we head back?" Kanade suggested. The dress looked salvageable if cleaned quickly, and he didn't want Mahiru to feel uncomfortable walking around in it.

"It's fine. It's just a little stain," Mahiru said, shaking her head.

As she watched Kanade fuss over her dress with such care, her heart swelled. He wasn't upset with her, and that was enough. She didn't want something trivial like this to ruin their outing.

"But it doesn't look great… We should at least do something about it," Kanade said, frowning.

Mahiru's dress was more than just a piece of clothing—it was part of her carefully chosen image. Even if she brushed it off, he couldn't ignore it.

"I have an idea. Come with me." Kanade stood up suddenly, holding out a hand.

"Wha—!" Mahiru gasped as he took her hand and started walking.

His firm grasp sent a rush of warmth through her. She followed, her face growing redder with each step, hiding under the brim of her sunhat.

Kanade was being so assertive… and she didn't mind it one bit.

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