Chapter 17

"Click—" a sound rang out.

Kato Megumi opened the umbrella in her hand, stepped forward to Kitakami Yoru's side, and held the umbrella over both their heads.

The umbrella was just big enough to accommodate two people, shielding them from the increasingly heavy wind and rain.

"If you need, I can take Kitakami-san to the station, or find a place to take shelter from the rain."

Kato Megumi shortened the net bag, tucked it under her arm, and stretched her slender little hand out from under the umbrella; the wind blew raindrops against her fair palm.

The rain was getting heavier, and gusts of wind blew by from time to time.

"Ca... can you?" Kitakami Yoru's pupils slowly dilated as he looked at the cute girl in front of him, asking with a bit of disbelief.

"Why wouldn't I be able to?" Kato Megumi tilted her head in confusion instead, then gestured for him to follow.

"Oh, oh!"

Holding the black cat in his arms with one hand and the items he had bought earlier in the other, Kitakami Yoru squeezed into the umbrella.

Kato Megumi silently held the umbrella high, leading the dead fatty otaku beside her away from under the tree, walking slowly into the distance.

After some distance, Kitakami Yoru stole a glance at Kato Megumi's cute profile and really couldn't help but ask:

"Classmate, why are you willing to take me to the station? Aren't you afraid of me, or do you find me disgusting?"

"During the field trip... they... they..."

"They all think I'm the culprit who stole Kasumigaoka Utaha's panties and stockings!"

Hearing this, Kato Megumi turned her head to look at Kitakami Yoru and said after a moment of contemplation:

"I saw it all just now, Kitakami-san's effort to climb the tree."

"Actually..."

Kitakami Yoru focused intently, listening to the girl beside him continue.

The next second.

Kato Megumi seemed to have thought of something funny and couldn't help but smile: "Hehe, it was a bit comical when you fell..."

Kato Megumi immediately realized it was wrong, hurriedly covered her little mouth, and turned her head to the other side.

Kitakami Yoru swallowed his saliva.

The girl beside him looked gentle and cute when she laughed, and even showed a bit of shyness.

But, what exactly is the reason!

It was killing him with anxiety, but he also inexplicably felt a bit embarrassed himself, not knowing how to urge the other party.

Finally, Kato Megumi calmed her mood and replied seriously: "Because I don't think Kitakami-san, who worked so hard like that, looks like a culprit."

"Besides, didn't Kasumigaoka Utaha-senpai also fail to find direct evidence?"

"......"

"Thank you."

Kitakami Yoru looked at Kato Megumi's face, as if wanting to remember her, and thanked her sincerely.

A faint joy and a special emotion that he couldn't describe welled up in his heart.

It was good that someone was still willing to believe in him.

This female classmate is really great!

Actually, Kato Megumi had one more reason that made her believe in Kitakami Yoru.

Because lonely people attract lonely people, and those of the same kind understand each other better.

The seemingly innocent, quiet, and cute girl also had unspeakable hidden troubles that she couldn't solve.

That is, her name is ordinary, she has no personality, her presence is extremely faint, and it is very easy for people to ignore her.

In class, classmates had been together for half a year, or even a year.

There were still many people who couldn't call her name or remember her.

Kato Megumi was very troubled by this.

"No need to thank me, it wasn't Kitakami-san's fault to begin with, right?" the girl replied.

"Um... actually, I've been thinking about investigating the culprit because I have a tiny clue."

"I was too nervous at the time and didn't remember it."

Kitakami Yoru looked back at the front, watching the hazy street scene as he spoke.

"Hmm?" Kato Megumi turned her head curiously.

"At that time, in the middle of the night, I went to the bungalow to shower. Everyone was already asleep, and not a single person was awake."

"When I came out of the shower, I found cell phone lights flickering near my tent. Because I thought someone wanted to bully me and destroy my tent or something..."

"I hurried back. I must have startled the other party, and the light disappeared immediately after. I didn't notice anything unusual at the time."

"It's possible that was the culprit, but of course, it could also just be someone who got up in the night..."

Recalling this, Kitakami Yoru observed Kato Megumi's expression at the same time.

He made an unexpected discovery.

Kato Megumi's eyebrows gradually furrowed, and a trace of doubt appeared in her eyes.

And? And uncertainty?!!!

"You... do you know something?!" Kitakami Yoru immediately asked nervously.

"Ah, sorry, I just remembered some things... I don't know anything." Kato Megumi paused and apologized, looking slightly troubled.

A clear look of disappointment appeared on Kitakami Yoru's face; he sighed and buried his head.

Sure enough, clues and culprits aren't that easy to find.

After walking for a little while longer, Kato Megumi took Kitakami Yoru to the station.

Before leaving, Kitakami Yoru stood at the station entrance and hesitantly asked for Kato Megumi's name.

Today, he was really grateful to the other party for helping him and being willing to believe in him.

"Kitakami-san, my name is Kato Megumi." Kato Megumi answered with some distress.

The reason she hadn't told Kitakami Yoru her name was because she felt it was troublesome and purely unnecessary.

Anyway, Kitakami Yoru wouldn't remember her either.

Perhaps tomorrow, or the day after, he would turn around and forget her, with her weak sense of presence.

"Thank you, Kato-san." Kitakami Yoru nodded, held the black cat and his luggage, and boarded the train.

"Goodbye."

"Ya-ay~ I'm really envious of the popular Kasumigaoka Utaha-senpai."

Kato Megumi turned around with her umbrella and let out a faint sigh.

Compared to the dazzling Kasumigaoka Utaha, she was just a transparent person.

16: Let's just call you San-san

Thanks to Kato Megumi taking Kitakami Yoru to the station.

On the way home by train, the rain stopped, and Kitakami Yoru returned home safe and sound.

It was just that this fat cat in his arms was a little restless.

However, it was fine.

This wasn't a purely wild cat; the tag on its neck indicated that this cat had once been raised by someone.

Now it might have been abandoned, or it ran away and couldn't find its home.

Cats like this have a greatly reduced guard against humans and are very easy to tame.

After Kitakami Yoru changed his shoes and closed the door, he put the fat cat down and let it run around.

It was just that this fat cat was slightly beyond Kitakami Yoru's expectations.

It just stood quietly at the entrance, staring at him with big eyes, neither running away nor hiding.

Kitakami Yoru didn't have time to pay attention to this fat cat for the moment; he carried the bag inside, and the fat cat stayed quietly at the entrance.

After putting away the review books and seasonings he bought, Kitakami Yoru returned to the entrance and caught the fat cat:

"Hmm? Do you know that you're going to be fed and housed?"

"That's why you're not struggling or resisting anymore?"

"Meow meow~"

This fat cat didn't know what it was thinking; it meowed twice and let itself be grabbed by the scruff of its neck.

Kitakami Yoru took the fat cat into the shower room, placed a water basin on the floor, and carefully put it inside.

It didn't struggle; instead, it jumped directly into the water basin and shook its body.