Crossover: After deciding to give up, i became popular

Kasumigaoka Utaha: quiet, elegant, intellectual—a picture-perfect literary girl with an artsy charm.

Her beauty was undeniable, and her voluptuous figure only added to her allure.

On the surface, she seemed like a refined and polite young woman. But those who knew her well were often on the receiving end of her sharp tongue, laced with provocative humor that turned normal conversations into... less-than-innocent exchanges.

In a way, she was a shameless and mischievous personality wrapped in stunning looks. But her breathtaking appearance often made people overlook these less flattering traits.

Does personality matter? If she's cute enough, even being a little weird is forgivable.

Once upon a time, Natsukawa Kanade had thought the same—until he pursued Utaha and faced rejection.

"You're as useless as ever, Sawamura-san."

The voice belonged to none other than Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had unexpectedly appeared in the second-year hallway.

"Kasumigaoka Utaha?! What are you doing here?" Eriri's initial nervousness vanished as she spun around to face Utaha, her small fang bared as if ready for battle.

"There's no rule saying upperclassmen can't visit the second-year floor, is there?" Utaha replied nonchalantly, brushing back a strand of hair that had fallen over her eyes. She walked toward Kanade with a graceful stride, exuding calm confidence.

Despite Eriri's fiery glare, Utaha seemed utterly uninterested in engaging with her. From the moment she arrived, her gaze had been fixed solely on Kanade.

"Good afternoon, Natsukawa-kun," she greeted him with a faint smile.

"Good afternoon, Kasumigaoka-senpai..." Kanade responded politely, though he couldn't shake the feeling that this situation felt oddly familiar.

"What are you doing here, Kasumigaoka?" Eriri demanded, her tone laced with suspicion. Something about Utaha's demeanor felt off.

"Shouldn't you show a little more respect to your senpai, Sawamura-san?" Utaha shot back with a faint smirk. "As for why I'm here... well, what do you think?"

"You..." Eriri's eyes widened as realization struck. Utaha wasn't here by coincidence—she was here to interfere!

No wonder she'd been so "helpful" yesterday, offering advice. She'd been using Eriri to gather intel on Kanade's current status!

That scheming cow!

If Kanade were still actively pursuing someone, he might reject Eriri outright. This situation was completely unfair!

"Backstabbing cow monster! I'll never forgive you!" Eriri fumed, completely forgetting that it was actually Megumi who had tipped her off about Kanade.

"Natsukawa-kun, if you're free right now..." Utaha began, folding her arms as if trying to appear calm.

In truth, her calmness was a facade. She wasn't the type to hesitate in expressing her feelings, but coming all the way to a different floor just to seek out a boy was something she'd never imagined herself doing.

Her embarrassment was palpable, and it took all her effort to keep it in check. If she hesitated for even a moment, she might implode from the sheer mortification.

"Don't even think about saying it!" Eriri suddenly interjected, cutting Utaha off mid-sentence.

Even Eriri had her breaking point—and right now, she was ready to fight tooth and nail.

"Yaaah!" Utaha yelped as Eriri jabbed her in the side. The unexpected attack sent a jolt through her body.

"Attacking a lady's weak spot is the lowest form of competition, you dumb blonde loser!" Utaha snapped.

"You started it, you sneaky, underhanded cat!" Eriri shot back.

"Oh, is someone bitter because they're too cowardly to act on their feelings? I'm just doing you a favor, showing you how it's done."

"Y-you... At least I'm not a thick-skinned cow monster like you!"

"Cow monster?" Utaha's brow twitched in irritation, though her lips curved into a dangerous smile. She had just thought of a way to strike back.

"My, my, Sawamura-san. You seem very... interested in that area. If you ask nicely, I could share some tips on how to grow bigger."

"Why would I need advice from you? It'll all sag eventually!" Eriri retorted with a jealous scowl.

"Sagging?!"

That hit a nerve. Utaha's composure cracked. She could handle most insults, but this was crossing the line. Large-chested girls had their pride too, and this was her forbidden zone!

"Dumb blonde loser!"

"Cow monster!"

"President, are you just going to let this happen?" a passing student asked hesitantly.

"Huh? Oh, they're just... friends," Kanade replied, snapping back to reality.

Though he'd already stepped down from his position, the news wasn't yet public, so it wasn't surprising that people still addressed him as "President."

Kanade turned back to the scene of chaos, where the two girls were locked in a heated argument. He couldn't help but think this was a classic scene—two beautiful girls fighting. Who wouldn't stop to watch?

The sight brought back memories of his club days, a time filled with laughter and camaraderie. But those days were gone now.

Eventually, both girls ran out of energy, simultaneously calling for a truce.

"Ha... I'll... let it slide this time..." Utaha panted.

"Y-you're just too weak..." Eriri huffed.

"I could go... another round if you want..."

"Fine, bring it on—"

"Alright, alright, enough!" Kanade stepped in, waving his hands. "If you two keep this up, lunchtime will be over. Do you really want to head to afternoon classes on empty stomachs?"

Though the argument had been entertaining, Kanade's stomach reminded him that it was time to eat.

"Apologies, Natsukawa-kun. I must have looked ridiculous," Utaha said, regaining her composure faster than Eriri.

"If you don't mind..."

"Don't even think about it!" Eriri interrupted again, her eyes blazing with indignation.

"You keep quiet, you idiot blonde loser!" Utaha snapped. "Natsukawa-kun, if you're free, would you have lunch with me?"

Her flushed cheeks and slightly sweaty brow betrayed her earlier exertion, but her words were firm. She had already envisioned a peaceful lunch together, a chance to repair their relationship and maybe take things further...

"Sorry, I can't," Kanade replied without hesitation.

Utaha froze.

Wait, what?

Her mind reeled. Wasn't he supposed to be single now, rejected by someone else? Why would he turn her down? Had Megumi lied to them?

"May I ask why?" Utaha managed to ask, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Why? I just feel like eating alone today," Kanade replied after a moment's thought.

Pretending to be someone else was exhausting. Moving forward, he wanted to be himself—and the first step was learning to enjoy his own company.

Kanade winced slightly at how childish that sounded, as if he were a kid learning to eat alone for the first time.

"Alone? Not with some girl?" Utaha asked, her tone sharper than intended.

"..." Kanade frowned, feeling a twinge of discomfort. Was that all people thought he did—chase girls?

Thinking back, he realized that had been his life until now. But people change, and he was in the middle of that change.

"That's all in the past," Kanade said, scratching his nose sheepishly.

When Utaha didn't respond, he added, "If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

"..."

Still met with silence, Kanade shrugged and walked away.

"Utaha, what just happened?" Eriri asked, finally approaching after hiding nearby.

She'd been too scared to listen to Kanade agree, planning to butt in if necessary. But now...

"I think... something's seriously wrong..." Utaha murmured, her expression blank.

"...Huh?" Eriri tilted her head, confused.