When the Introverted Me Got Surrounded by S-Tier Beauties After a Seat Change, a Secret Relationship Began V1 Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A Home Date Fraught with Unforeseen Complications

Monday.

I arrived at school early, as I always do, and settled at my desk to read a light novel. Or at least, that was the plan.

"Ryouta, Ryouta~ The culture festival vote. What're you pickin'?"

"Culture festival vote?"

The unfamiliar phrase made me echo it back reflexively.

"Yuria from the Culture Festival Committee said we'd be deciding what to do for the festival on Monday, remember?"

Now that she mentioned it, I did recall something to that effect from Friday's homeroom.

"We're voting on whether to do a café or a play, right~? Airi is hoping for a café~"

"A-A café…"

Miyama… in a maid outfit…

An image of Miyama's generous bust peeking from the neckline of a maid uniform flashed through my mind. The sudden, overwhelming desire to be served by her brought an involuntary grin to my face.

"Geez, Ryouta? What are you smirking about?"

"…A big-boob café has its merits."

"Huh?"

Just as a look of confusion crossed Miyama's face, Yuria and Kuroki walked into the classroom together. Miyama immediately snapped her gaze forward and struck up a conversation with them.

"Mornin', Yuria, Rui-chan~"

"Morning, Airi… Hey, were you just talking to Izumiya?"

"Oh, um, I was just asking Ryouta to vote for the café, that's all~"

"…Right. Of course."

Yuria shot me a single glance before settling into her seat to my left. She's always so distant in front of these two, despite how much fun we had yesterday.

As I watched Yuria out of the corner of my eye, Kuroki paused in front of my desk.

"Hehe, so, which will it be, Ryouta-kun? The play or the café?"

""R-Ryouta-kun!?""

Miyama and Yuria reacted in perfect unison to Kuroki's use of my first name. A fearless smile played on Kuroki Rui's lips as she deliberately moistened them with her tongue.

D-Damn you, Kuroki! This is going to be a massive headache!""…""

Kuroki's casual "Ryouta-kun" earned me two ice-cold stares—one from Miyama in the seat ahead, the other from Yuria to my left. The piercing glares were an inevitability.

My unique position of knowing each of their secrets has entangled me with all three members of this beautiful girl clique. The catch is, I can't reveal any one secret to the other two. They have no idea that I share a hidden bond with each of them, or how close we've become.

So, for Kuroki to so casually use my first name in front of the others was a baffling, deeply suspicious event. The air grew thick with the same tension as that time Miyama accidentally let "Ryouta" slip. Being under suspicion was a given… and this situation was extremely bad.

"Hey, why are you calling him Ryouta too, Rui-chan? You and Ryouta never spoke a single word to each other in middle school, did you?"

"That's true, but Airi calls him Ryouta, so I thought I'd try it. Besides, it would be confusing for Ryouta-kun if everyone sitting so close used different names. I figured this would be for the best."

As expected of a woman blessed with both beauty and brains. The excuse flowed from her lips, smooth and seamless, without a moment's hesitation. Her expression was so utterly unfazed that anyone else would have believed her. But I, and I alone, knew she had done it on purpose.

Kuroki had made a calculated move. She wanted to call me by my first name in front of everyone, and now she had her justification. That cunning is what makes her so formidable. A true perfectionist, she leaves nothing to chance.

"That settles it. Yuria, you should call him 'Ryouta,' too."

"Eh, m-me?"

"Go on."

Prompted by Kuroki, Yuria turned to face me.

"Well… Ryo… Ryouta."

She called my name, her lips pursed in a slight pout. The way she deliberately feigned unfamiliarity only made me realizehow sly she could be.

And just like that, it was decided. I would now be called "Ryouta" by all three of them, not just in private, but all the time.

"Now, back to the matter at hand," Kuroki continued, "which are you voting for, Ryouta-kun? The play or the café?"

"Huh? I-I was thinking…"

Kuroki was effortlessly pulling me into a conversation with the school's top-tier beauties.

"Well, Miyama asked me to, so I was leaning toward the café."

"Oh, the café. So you two really were discussing the festival, Airi."

"W-We were! Honestly, Rui-chan, you're so suspicious~"

It seems Kuroki still harbors doubts about our relationship. Then again, Miyama and I have been seen together not just in the cafeteria but also at Starbucks. It's not surprising that rumors are starting to fly.

"So, Airi and Ryouta-kun are for the café. Yuria, you're on the committee, but didn't you say you preferred the play?"

"W-Well… yeah. If we do a café, the paperwork is a hassle… and more than anything, the inspections are… well, they're gross."

Inspections… she means… right?It's best not to let my mind wander down that path. But gathering those samples is indeed the committee's responsibility. I can understand why Yuria would find it unpleasant.

"What about you, Rui?"

"Me? Hmm, I'm torn."

Kuroki said, her eyes flicking toward me.

Wh-What's with that look?I glared back, and she responded with a soft smile before turning her attention back to Yuria.

"I suppose I'll vote for the play… for Yuria's sake."

"No way! Rui-chan, you should vote for the café, too~ Let's be maids together, okay?"

"Oh? But I'm not nearly as cute as you or Yuria~"

Kuroki said this while staring directly at me.

Don't tell me she knows I was just fantasizing about Miyama's chest and Yuria's thighs…And for a girl as stunningly beautiful as Kuroki to claim she isn't cute sounds like nothing but pure irony.

"Are you kidding? If you're not cute, Rui, then the rest of us girls are less than background characters."

"Hehe, what's this, Yuria? Are you praising me?"

Kuroki glided closer to Yuria, extending her elegant left hand to gently lift her chin.

"Being complimented by a stylish gyaru like you is making me blush."

"I'm just stating a fact…"

"Hey, Ryouta, Ryouta? Maybe we should go with the play after all?"

"What is it, Miyama? Giving up on the big-boob caf—I mean, the café?"

"Hmm. Well, if Yuria on the committee says the play is easier, then I think I'll vote for it to help her out. Airi doesn't mind either way."

"…You're right. I'll do the same."

A play, huh. The lead role would undoubtedly go to Kuroki, and a loner like me would be relegated to menial tasks.

The heroine… Kuroki…

A strange sense of foreboding washed over me. 

Was I just overthinking it?☆☆

Second-period Contemporary Society class turned into a study hall, so we used the time to discuss what our class would do for the culture festival.

The girl's committee representative is the school's number one gyaru, Ichinose Yuria. The boy's representative, on the other hand, is Hino Yamato, a quintessential popular kid—a handsome, natural-born leader.

"Alright, let's get back to the festival discussion! Last time, we narrowed it down to a play or a café. I trust you all gave it some thought over the weekend?"

Hino, with his natural charisma, effortlessly guided the conversation. Yuria, who detests speaking with boys, retreated into a support role, silently writing on the blackboard as Hino spoke.

She won't even open up to a guy like Hino?When I think about it that way, maybe I'm more impressive than I thought. In terms of looks, height, and social skills, I'm leagues below the popular Hino. The only arena where I might have an edge is academics. But good grades alone just get you labeled a "study nerd," which does nothing to elevate your standing in the class hierarchy above the popular crowd.

As a loner otaku, I've always been at the bottom of the food chain. But now… now I'm certain I'm playing on a higher field than those popular kids. It's all thanks to the seating change that placed me so close to Yuria, Miyama, and Kuroki. Not long ago, the very thought of them made me uneasy, but sharing their secrets has forged an unlikely bond between us. I used to curse my luck, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise after all.

"Okay, I'm passing out slips of paper. Write down your choice, everyone~"

As I was lost in a self-satisfied smirk, I realized the voting was already underway.

"Here you go, Ryouta. A slip."

Miyama, sitting in front of me, passed back a small, palm-sized piece of paper. I immediately wrote "Play."

The slips were collected, and a short while later, the results were tallied.

"Alright, time for the announcement! For the culture festival, our very own Class 2-B will be performing… a play!"

Hino's declaration was met with a round of applause.

Oh, so it's a play after all.Miyama and Kuroki exchanged a smile. They must be relieved, knowing this would be easier for Yuria on the committee. There's something genuinely heartwarming about their friendship.

"Now that we've settled on a play, let's decide on a story. Any suggestions—"

A hand from my right shot up, cutting Hino off mid-sentence.

K-Kuroki…?"An original script would be difficult to prepare, so I think a classic would be best. For example… how about 'Snow White'?"

S-Snow White?You mean that story? The one about the high-maintenance, lazy girl who eats an apple, falls into a magical slumber, and can only be woken by a kiss from a handsome prince? What a terrible, self-indulgent fantasy.

Seriously, of all the stories, why pick one with a kissing scene? It's just a class play; no one important is going to see it. Something simple like Momotaro would have been fine.

"Oh! Snow White, great idea! Brilliant! The best! What does everyone else think?" Hino gushed, shamelessly sucking up to Kuroki as he polled the class.

"Yeah, if Kuroki-chan suggests it, I'm in!"

"Me too, me too!"

"Sounds good to me!"

"I volunteer! I want to be awakened by Kuroki-san's kiss!"

""""Me too!""""

Aside from that slightly disturbing mob, nearly everyone in the class nodded in agreement.

Is this… the absolute, coercive power of Kuroki Rui? If she says right, it's right. If she says left, it's left. A single word from Kuroki Rui, the class representative and most popular girl in school, instantly becomes the will of the masses.

"Then Snow White it is!"

Another wave of applause swept through the room.

What a waste. We have Miyama Airi, a once-in-a-millennium beauty with a chest to match, and we're not even casting her as the lead in some slightly risqué, big-boobed heroine story…

As I was lamenting this missed opportunity, the massive chest in the seat in front of me turned around.

"Hey, hey, Ryouta! If we're doing Snow White, let's be dwarves together!"

"A dwarf? A dwarf? You?"

"Why not? Dwarves are cute."

You're… no matter how you look at it, you're a giant, not a dwarf."Furthermore—a simple play would be dull. So, I have a proposal."

Another one? Knowing Kuroki and her perfectionism, she's probably going to demand she play Snow White—

"The boys will play Snow White, and the girls will play the prince! What do you think?"

…Huh? Does she mean… we're swapping the gender roles?

"A gender-swapped Snow White… I love it!"

"I'm for it!"

"Sounds fun!"

As always, the class's army of yes-men immediately approved Kuroki's "Gender-Swapped Snow White" proposal.

The next order of business was casting. To choose our male Snow White and female prince, the boys and girls split into separate groups to deliberate. The girls gathered by the hallway, while the boys clustered near the windows.

A gender-swap… 

The girls might be fine, but for the guys, this is nothing but public humiliation. Still, they had all agreed to Kuroki's idea, so I figured one of the more flamboyant, popular guys would jump at the chance to play Snow White… or so I thought.

"Man… even if it was Kuroki-san's idea, that's a tough ask for us guys…"

"Yeah. One of us has to play Snow White, right?"

"Cross-dressing is a bit much."

As soon as we gathered, a wave of negativity washed over the group. It seemed the popular guys, at the very least, had serious reservations about Kuroki's proposal. They must have caved to peer pressure earlier, unable to voice their objections. The yes-man mentality had backfired. Of course, they all want to look good in front of Kuroki…

But the woman known as Kuroki Rui is a master strategist, capable of twisting even the ulterior motives of men to her will. I have no idea what she's planning, but it's too late to object now. We've been completely outplayed.

"Kuroki-san was the one who suggested the play, but isn't it unlikely she'd play the lead role of the prince herself?"

Hino's question was met with confused head-tilts from the other popular guys.

Kuroki not playing the lead? I was sure she'd take the main role…"I mean, she has the Inter-High tournament coming up, right? She's aiming for her fifth consecutive national title since middle school. Do you really think she has time to be the star of a school play?"

He had a point. Kuroki Rui's schedule was packed. Even for her, taking on a lead role seemed like too much.

So, did that mean Kuroki was just making whatever suggestions she wanted because she wouldn't be directly involved? That seemed to be Hino's implication… but would Kuroki really leverage her popularity and influence for something so trivial?

"If Kuroki isn't the lead, then it'll be either Miyama, who has a boyfriend, or Ichinose, who's rumored to be dating a guy from another school."

One of the popular kids muttered with a grimace. Miyama had publicly declared she was taken (a lie), but it seemed Yuria was also believed to have a boyfriend. Given how cold she is to every guy but me, it's only natural for people to assume a gyaru that cute would have an older boyfriend or one from another school.

"I'm out."

"M-Me too."

"If Kuroki-san were the prince, I'd gladly volunteer to cross-dress."

"This one, too, would joyfully accept the role if Airi-tan were the prince… but should it be otherwise, it would feel like a betrayal to Airi-tan."

One by one, the popular kids and the resident creepy otaku bowed out, followed by a wave of head-shaking from the rest of the boys. The fact that not a single one of them suggested drawing lots made it painfully clear how desperately they wanted to avoid this.

I get it, though. If Hino is right and Kuroki isn't the lead, the guys who have a crush on her have no motivation. And for the guys who are into Miyama or Yuria, there's no guarantee they'd get to act opposite them, making it a high-risk, low-reward gamble.

As the hands stayed down, a sense of dread washed over me. In a situation like this, the spotlight would inevitably turn to…

"Hey, what about Izumiya for Snow White?"

The unaffiliated, introverted otaku. In other words, me.

"Izumiya has the best grades out of all the guys in our class! He'd be great at memorizing lines!"

"That's true! He's smart! Come on, Izumiya, we're counting on you~"

Hey, hold on. What do my grades have to do with anything?!I wanted to scream in protest.

Of course I didn't want to play Snow White. But if a loner otaku like me were to show any defiance… well, the outcome is too obvious to even state.

"That's a thought… Izumiya, what do you say?"

Hino, the leader of the class's male population, had turned the question to me. With him asking, it was even harder to refuse. That bastard… he always acts like such a nice guy, but this is who he really is.

"I-I…"

Wait, wait! This is Snow White we're talking about! The lead role in a play is too much for me! Refuse! Don't let them push you around!In my head, I could perfectly picture myself turning Hino down flat. But what came out of my mouth was…

"I-If I have to…"

"Huh?"

"Fine, I'll do it! I'll be Snow White!"

"""""OHHHHHHHHHH!!!"""""

In the end, I crumbled under the pressure.

Idiot! Why couldn't you just say no?!A chorus of cheers and applause erupted from the boys around me. It was the worst. I had never received praise that made me feel so miserable.

And so, against all my better judgment, I was cast as Snow White.

Shortly after, the girls finalized their choice for the lead (prince), and it was time for the official announcement. Yuria and Hino stood at the front of the class.

"Ahem, for the role of Snow White, we have… Izumiya-kun!"

Every eye in the room swiveled to fixate on me.

Ugh, somebody please just kill me now."Ryouta, that's amazing! Congrats, congrats! The lead role is so cool!"

The clueless, big-breasted girl in front of me cheered, completely oblivious to my inner turmoil.

Huh? The way she said that… does that mean Miyama isn't the prince? Which means…"And the prince will be played by… me—"

So it is Yuria, then…?Standing at the front of the room, Yuria looked directly at me as she spoke—

"—and Rui. It's a double cast."

""""""WHAAAAAAAAT!?""""""

A collective gasp echoed through the room as every boy's jaw hit the floor.

"S-Seriously…?"

Mine included, of course.

☆☆

Yuria's announcement that the prince role would be double-cast plunged the classroom into a vortex of shock and confusion. Surprisingly, however, not a single boy voiced a complaint. Just as with the gender-swapped concept, they knew that any objection could be seen as defiance against Kuroki, so they kept their mouths shut.

But of course, no one had seen this coming. The gazes of the boys around me slowly began to converge on me, filled with a fresh wave of envy and jealousy. They should have just done it themselves. From their perspective, a golden opportunity to flirt with two of the school's top beauties had just slipped through their fingers and landed in the lap of a gloomy introvert like me.

If my life were one of those schadenfreude stories, this would be the ultimate "serves you right" moment. But as for whether this turn of events actually made me happy… I was ambivalent. It was certainly better than being paired with a girl I'd never spoken to, but Yuria and Kuroki?

I risked a sideways glance to my right. Kuroki was staring at the blackboard, her expression a perfect mask. I had expected her to be smirking, having secured a lead role, but she seemed surprisingly displeased.

Did something happen during the casting? If there had been some sort of clash between Yuria and Kuroki… I-I had to admit, I was curious.

"O-Okay, so it's settled! Izumiya is Snow White, and the princes will be Kuroki-san and Ichinose-san. We're short on time, so let's decide the rest of the roles right now. For the other parts—"

Under Hino's direction, the rest of the casting proceeded quickly and efficiently.

The day wore on through break and lunch, but I didn't exchange a single word with the three girls. The play never even came up in their own conversations, which only strengthened my suspicion that something had happened between Yuria and Kuroki.

After school, I had no plans, but my curiosity got the better of me. Before I knew it, I found myself standing in front of a certain bookstore.

H-Hey, it's not like I'm worried about Yuria and Kuroki or anything! I just came to buy a light novel, and if I happened to run into her and find out when her shift ends, that's just a coincidence!Reciting a classic tsundere monologue in my head, I stepped inside.

"Welcome… Oh! You're Miyama-chan's—"

At the register of the TSUTAYA was the female manager with the short, blonde hair. She was the one who had mistaken Miyama and me for a couple back when I first discovered Miyama's secret.

"Oho, coming to watch your girlfriend at work? You're such a model boyfriend~"

No—it wasn't a past mistake. She apparently still thought Miyama and I were an item.

"Um, I didn't actually come to see Miyama—"

"Perfect timing! Wait right here."

The manager instructed me to wait by the counter, then disappeared into the back room, re-emerging a moment later with Miyama in tow.

"Huh, Ryouta? Why are you here? And what's going on, Manager?"

"We're not busy today, so you can head out early. I'll make sure your timecard is punched for the full shift, of course."

"Eh, but—"

"You work too hard, Airi-chan. I was worried. Go on, take a break and relax with your boyfriend today."

It seemed the manager was trying to be considerate. Just like last time, she really was a kind person.

"Well, in that case, I'll take you up on your offer. Thank you, Manager!"

Miyama accepted the manager's kindness without any undue hesitation.

"Ryouta, I'm going to get changed. Wait here for a minute, okay?"

"Y-Yeah."

And so began my second after-school date with Miyama (though, in my defense, I really just wanted to talk).

☆☆

"Sorry to keep you waiting! Alright, let's go, Ryouta."

"Yeah."

I nodded, and Miyama (now back in her school uniform) and I left the TSUTAYA. We started walking toward the station with no particular destination in mind.

"So, what's up, Ryouta? You showing up at my job out of the blue really surprised me."

"S-Sorry, Miyama! I was actually just going to ask when your shift ended so we could talk for a bit, but then the manager—"

"No, no, it's great! I'm super happy to get off work early and still get paid! Plus, I'm even happier that I get to hang out with you, Ryouta!"

"M-Miyama…"

With a smile of pure innocence, Miyama delivered heart-fluttering lines as effortlessly as an oblivious protagonist. Her ample chest, bouncing with every step, was certainly captivating, but it was her relentless positivity that I found truly energizing.

"So, where to today? Should we head to my usual spot?"

"Your usual spot?"

"Yeah! There's a place nearby I've been going to since I was a kid. I've been wanting to visit again."

"G-Got it. Lead the way."

With a destination now set, I followed Miyama's lead toward this "usual spot" of hers.

"So, what did you want to talk about? Is it good news? Or bad news?"

"I'm not sure which it is myself… but I wanted to ask you something about the play."

"The play?"

I gave a small nod and decided to get straight to the point. If I didn't get this cleared up, the uncertainty would drive me crazy. Besides… to be honest, I was dying to know what had happened between Yuria and Kuroki.

"So, the prince role ended up being a double cast with Ichinose and Kuroki. What was the atmosphere like when you were deciding?"

"The atmosphere…? Are you curious because both Yuria and Rui-chan got the part, Ryouta?"

"Yeah, I guess. And you're the only girl-friend I have that I can ask about this stuff, Miyama…"

"Ehehe, just me, huh? That makes me kinda happy~"

Miyama grinned, playfully bumping her shoulder against mine as we walked. Her every reaction was just so damn cute.

"You want to know what happened during the casting, right?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Well, when we were deciding on the prince, everyone was pushing for Rui-chan at first—"

That figured. Kuroki had proposed the entire concept, and with her looks, she was the very definition of a perfect superhuman. Even for a male role, no one was more suited.

"But, you know, Yuria got worried. She said Rui-chan has 'her important Inter-High tournament coming up' and offered to take the role instead… Yuria can be really kind like that."

So Hino had been right to be concerned about the tournament.

"Then how did they both end up with the part? From what you're saying, it sounded like it was going to be Ichinose—I mean, Yur… Ichinose."

"Yeah. Well, after that, the group split right down the middle. There was the faction that wanted Rui-chan to do it, and the faction that agreed with Yuria."

"Wh-What?"

How did that happen? Yuria's reasoning was perfectly sound. If they were truly thinking about what was best for Kuroki, they should have supported Yuria's offer. Could there have been a faction of girls with serious crushes on Kuroki who were desperate to see her play the prince?

"In the end, they couldn't reach an agreement, so they settled on a compromise. They made it a double cast to lessen Rui-chan's burden, and having Yuria in the role would be good for publicity. That's how wedecided to move forward."

"What a mess… Did Kuroki say anything?"

"Rui-chan told Yuria, 'I can balance it with track and field, it's fine,' but… there was a pretty big group that wanted Yuria to do it, so she couldn't push back too hard."

So, there was a brave resistance in our class, willing to stand up to Kuroki. Still, the end result was that Kuroki was now one of the princes, which was nothing but inconvenient for me.

"So, that's pretty much what happened. I know being the co-star for both of them will be tough, but don't worry! I'll be there to support you, Princess Ryouta, from my role as a dwarf!"

"Th-Thanks, Miyama."

Come to think of it, Miyama had gotten the dwarf (or rather, big-boobed giant) role she'd wanted. With her figure, a male role would have been difficult… though Yuria was also well-endowed, so who's to say.

"Oh, we're here! This is my usual spot!"

Miyama stopped and pointed at a shop's sign.

"This is my favorite dagashi shop!"

A-A dagashi shop…!?I had been picturing something like a Starbucks. Miyama's "usual spot" was a worn-down candy store near the station.

"A d-dagashi shop!? Not a Starbucks or something?"

"Yeah! Dagashi is super cheap, right? It means I can buy lots of snacks, so I love it!"

R-Right… Miyama has had it rough."I've been coming to dagashi shops since I was little, you know? There used to be one near my house, but it closed down. So now, this one near the station is my go-to!"

"I see. So you come here after your shift?"

"Yep! I always grab like, ten Umya-Sticks or some Bou Kinako before I head home!"

I get it now. Miyama's massive chest is fueled by cheap candy… We need to start feeding dagashi to every middle and high school student in the country, effective immediately. A society of super-sized busts. This should be a top-tier national strategy.

"Ryouta? Why the serious face all of a sudden?"

"Oh, uh, I was just pondering some… political matters."

"Politics!? Wow, Ryouta, you think about such difficult things. You're amazing."

"A-Ahaha."

That was close. I almost revealed the worthless thoughts bouncing around in my head. Having skillfully deflected her question, I followed Miyama into the dagashi shop.

As I slid open the door, a wind chime tinkled, and an elderly gentleman, presumably the owner, slowly emerged from a back room and made his way to the register.

So this… is a dagashi shop.There were old-fashioned mizuame syrup treats, hand-shaped gummies, and colorful little mochi. There were lottery games, string-pull prizes, and even a dart board—everything that screamed of a bygone era was perfectly preserved here. Faded flyers were taped to the windows, and an ancient arcade cabinet stood in the corner, its functionality questionable. The price tags revealed snacks for as little as 10 or 30 yen, a price point that seemed impossible in today's economy.

The whole place was a nostalgic time capsule. It was amazing that a space like this still existed.

"Is this your first time in a dagashi shop, Ryouta?"

"No, I used to ride my bike to one a little far from my house when I was in elementary school…"

"Oh! So you're a veteran?"

"Y-Yeah. But it's been a while."

Back in elementary school, I was a wafer fiend. Whenever a new series based on my favorite anime or sentai show was released, I'd scour the local supermarkets and dagashi shops to collect them all.

Lost in nostalgia, I reached for a sentai-themed wafer on a high shelf. As if to match its lofty position, it was priced at 100 yen, a bit more expensive than the other items. It didn't look like it was selling well.

"Oh, are you getting a wafer, Ryouta?"

"Ah, no, just looking."

"Wafers are the best, aren't they~"

Miyama seemed unusually fond of them. I figured most people who bought them were more interested in the prize inside than the actual snack.

"You know, wafers hold a special memory for me."

"A-A special memory?"

"Yeah. Like I told you before, my family was super poor when I was growing up, so I could only afford to buy snacks from the dagashi shop once in a while."

Miyama took the sentai wafer from my hand and began to speak, her voice tinged with nostalgia.

"On the days I couldn't buy anything, I'd just sit on the red bench out front and watch the other kids eat. But one day, a boy holding a blue bag sat down next to me out of nowhere… and he gave me his wafer!"

"A b-boy with a blue bag…"

The phrase struck a chord. I'd heard a similar story somewhere before. A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me as I listened to Miyama. I felt like I'd heard this recently… or was it just my imagination?

"Apparently, all he wanted was the sticker inside, so he gave the wafer to me. I was so, so happy…"

Miyama's voice trembled as if she were about to cry. That wafer must have meant the world to her.

"You see, I was always bullied just for being poor, so I'd never experienced kindness from someone my own age. I think the boy went to a different elementary school, but… from that day on, I fell in love with him. That's why, all the way up to high school, I was never interested in other guys. It's why I never had a boyfriend."

"I-I see."

Ugh, I am so unbelievably jealous of that guy…!If Miyama is still in love with him, all he has to do is show up and he could date her, and then… do all sorts of things with her! To win the heart of a beautiful, big-breasted girl like Miyama with just a single wafer… It was too much. If he's not going to make an appearance, I wish he'd just trade places with me. (Though, with my head full of ulterior motives, I could never be like him.)

Crying internally, I ended up buying the wafer and a random bottle of ramune. Miyama, for her part, bought ten Umya-Sticks.

"Hey, hey, since we're here, let's eat on the bench outside!"

"Y-Yeah."

At Miyama's suggestion, I sat down on the long, red bench in front of the store. Eating snacks from a dagashi shop with a friend… this was an experience I'd never had as a kid.

"Mmm~, Umya-Sticks are so yummy~!"

Miyama opened her mouth wide, crunching happily on the snack. A fine powder dusted the front of her uniform, caught by the shelf of her enormous chest. 

A chest so large it could stop falling crumbs… truly magnificent."Mmmph~, Umya-Sticks really are the best."

I couldn't take my eyes off her. It wasn't in a weird way, but… it was kind of erotic. No—it was extremely erotic.

"Ryouta? Why do you keep staring at me?"

"Oh, uh, it's nothing! Wait—crap!"

Startled, I fumbled with the ramune bottle, opening it while looking away. A fizzing geyser of soda erupted over my hand.

"Ugh, it's all sticky."

"Geez, what are you doing! Ryouta, you're hilarious~"

Miyama giggled, but she pulled a pack of tissues from her bag and handed me a couple.

"Here, wipe your hand. You don't want to stay all sticky, do you?"

"Y-Yeah. Thanks, Miyama."

She really is a kind person. At first, I'm sure she was disgusted by an otaku like me, but as we've spent more time together, we've somehow become this close.

But she has her wafer prince. She'll probably never see me as a potential partner. The same goes for Yuria and Kuroki. No matter how close we get, they both have boys from their past that they're hung up on. Yuria has her manga prince, and Kuroki has her cat-saving prince. By the second year of high school, most people have already had their first love. They already have someone special.

The chances of a girl falling for a loser like me at this point… are pretty much zero.

"Haa…"

"Ryouta~, I want a bite of the wafer, too~"

"The wafer? Sure. I only want the sticker anyway. You can have the rest."

I tore open the package, slipped out the sticker, and offered the wafer to Miyama. I held it out… but for some reason, she didn't take it.

"Hm?"

"……!"

"H-Hey, Miyama?"

"Um… it's just… what you said just now, it was exactly the same."

"Huh?"

"N-Never mind! Thanks for the wafer!"

Miyama snatched the wafer from my hand and took a large bite.

"Cough, cough! Oh no, I inhaled the crumbs and choked!"

"Geez, that's what you get for eating so fast. Here, drink some of my ramune."

"Th-Thanks, Ryouta."

Miyama took the bottle from me and gulped down the soda.

"Phew, ahh! I'm alive again. Ryouta, you're my lifesaver!"

"Come on, don't be so dramatic. You just choked a little."

"No. I mean it. You're probably my lifesaver… probably."

"?"

Her usual innocent smile was gone, replaced by a quiet, mature one as she handed the ramune back to me.

"Thank you—Ryouta."

"Eh, oh, yeah."

Miyama was acting a little strange. She looked as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Anyway, this ramune bottle… isn't this another chance for an indirect kiss, just like at Starbucks? Last time, Yuria interrupted, but if I drink this… I'll have shared a… K-I-S-S… with that Miyama!

I glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then took a long swig from the bottle. The faint carbonation tingled in my throat, and a thrill of excitement made my lips tremble.

I did it… I did it! Miyama's first kiss wasn't with her wafer prince! It was with me, Ryouta!"You know, Ryouta…"

"Hm?"

As I was getting worked up with my gross, virgin thoughts, Miyama spoke up.

"Um… n-never mind. It's nothing!"

"Huh? What is it?"

"It's nothing, okay! Just hurry up and finish your ramune so we can go home. Will you walk me home?"

"I don't mind, but…"

"Ehehe, yay~"

Miyama had clearly been on the verge of saying something. What was it about? I could only hope it wasn't about the indirect kiss.

☆☆

After walking Miyama home, the familiar path back to my own house felt strangely quiet and lonely. Miyama is a natural airhead and can be loud, but she has the cheerful energy of a mascot character, and being around her is somehow calming. She's kind even to an introvert like me. She's a genuinely good person.

Lost in thoughts of Miyama, I arrived home before I knew it.

"I'm home~"

I walked from the entryway into the living room to find my sister sprawled on the sofa in nothing but a shirt and her underwear.

Haa… such a pathetic chest compared to Miyama's."Oh, Ryouta? I ate your ice cream."

"H-Hey, you're kidding! I was really looking forward to that limited-edition Häagen-Dazs. Damn it, you idiot!"

"Also~"

"What now!"

"Tanaka-chan stopped by earlier."

Tanaka? At my house? What for?Come to think of it, I haven't spoken to Tanaka, not even on LINE, since we talked on the rooftop. I've been spending so much time with the three beauties lately that I haven't had a spare moment for otaku talk with him.

"She said she 'just dropped by,' but if she came all this way, she must have wanted to see you, right?"

"Y-Yeah, probably."

"You should send her a message."

"I-I know."

I pulled out my phone and sent Tanaka a quick message: 'Want to talk on the phone for a bit?' then headed to my room.

While I was waiting for herreply, a notification from Kuroki popped up. It was today's photo.

"Whoa…! Twin tails today!?"

It was a selfie of Kuroki in her school uniform, her hair styled in low twin tails, lying on her bed.

Kuroki: A little something to motivate you for the play ♡ I'm sending you a photo today, too, okay? A school uniform and twin tails… this is what you like, isn't it, Ryouta-kun?This girl… she knows an otaku's weaknesses all too well. Twin tails on a face as beautiful as Kuroki's was just unfair. The gap moe effect was a thousand times more potent and destructive than when a conventionally cute girl did it.

As I was dutifully saving the photo, a reply came from Tanaka.

Tanaka: Understood. I am available to talk now.I saw the message and immediately called her.

"Tanaka, long time no see."

'Oh, Ryouta-kun! It has been a while.'"My sister said you stopped by. Did you need something?"

'Um, not for any particular reason, but I happened to hear a strange rumor regarding the culture festival.'"A strange rumor?"

I had a very bad feeling about this.

'Something about how you, Ryouta-kun, will be playing Snow White, and the princes will be played by Ichinose-san and Kuroki-san from the beautiful girl trio.'…Tanaka, that's no rumor. That’sa fact.

'The gender-swap alone makes it sound absurd. It must be fake news, right?'"…I'm doing it."

'Huh?'"I'm… playing Snow White, Tanaka."

'…Um, Ryouta-kun, have you been losing your mind lately?'Tanaka's disgusted voice stabbed through my eardrums, crushing my spirit.

Stop it, Tanaka! My HP is already at zero!'Are you serious? You're playing Snow White? So you'll be cross-dressing?'"Ah, shut up! I got forced into it! I had no choice!"

'I see. You got railroaded by the popular kids.'Being an introvert herself, Tanaka instantly grasped the situation. As expected of a fellow comrade.

'Well, be that as it may… do you even properly understand the story of Snow White, Ryouta-kun?'"O-Of course I do. I'm pretty sure I have the picture book on my shelf. I used to read it all the time."

'That's a surprisingly wholesome anecdote for you, Ryouta-kun.'"What's that supposed to mean, 'for me'?" I retorted, moving toward the bookshelf in my room. "Come to think of it, where is that book?"

'Since you have the chance, you should look for it. If you're playing the lead, you need to know the story inside and out.'"You're right."

My bookshelf was now a solid wall of manga from top to bottom, making a single picture book impossible to spot at a glance. I hadn't read one in years. It must be on the bottom shelf…

"Snow White, Snow White… hm?"

As I scanned the bottom shelf, my fingers brushed against a nostalgic manga series. It was a shonen magazine title I read back in elementary school, 'Lucky & H'. It was pretty risqué for a shonen series, so I always had to read it in secret, hidden from my parents.

Wait, this is weird… The series goes up to volume 18, but for some reason, only the first volume is missing.

"…Oh well."

'What's wrong, Ryouta-kun?'"Oh, nothing."

After a fruitless search, the Snow White picture book remained elusive. I ended up having to supplement my knowledge of the story by reading 'Isekai Cheat Snow White: I'm the Strongest, So You'll Wake Me With a Kiss and Then Break Our Engagement? Seriously?!', a light novel for girls that Tanaka highly recommended. (Why am I doing this?)

I reluctantly purchased the first volume as an e-book.

"You just wanted an excuse to preach your latest obsession, didn't you?"

'Well, that's part of it. The broken engagement genre is really popular in the community right now!'"I know that, but…"

From a female protagonist's point of view, the story was filled with descriptions of male physiques rather than sexy heroines. It did absolutely nothing for my pubescent brain.

'Still, for you to be playing Snow White, Ryouta-kun… I didn't know you had those inclinations.'"I told you, I was forced into it by the popular kids! I'm only doing it because I have to!"

'By the way, the princes are Kuroki-san and Ichinose-san, right?'"Y-Yeah. That's right, but?"

In response, Tanaka just groaned, "Mmm…" for a long moment.

'Those two as princes… that's a cheat code.'"What do you mean? Those girls are cheat-level existences to begin with, completely unlike us introverts."

'That's true, but… how have things been with the Beauty Trio lately?'"How? We've been dating, and dating, and… well, dating, I guess."

'You've been dating that much!? Wait, is that all you're doing, just dating!?'"I guess so," I said, puffing out my chest with a hint of pride. Tanaka was the only one I could brag to about my constant dates with the three of them. I'd love to boast to the popular guys, but that would inevitably end with me getting beaten half to death.

'Ryouta-kun, you've changed. Soon you'll throw away the virginity you swore to protect until you were thirty, and you won't talk to an introvert like me anymore…'"Why are you sulking, Tanaka? There's no way an introverted otaku like me is going to lose his virginity."

'But…'What, what? Is she jealous I've betrayed the introvert alliance? My bragging must have given her the wrong idea.

"Listen, Tanaka. Even though I'm going on dates with them, it's not like we're going to end up in that kind of relationship."

'Huh? What do you mean?'"The truth is, all three of them already have someone they like."

'S-Someone they like?'"Apparently, they all fell for some guys back in elementary school, and they're still hung up on them. So, even though I hang out with the Beauty Trio, I can't actually date any of them. It's a real shame."

'I-I see…? …Haa.'Tanaka let out a strange sigh. Maybe she was relieved to have confirmation that I was still one of her kind.

"Besides, even if by some miracle I could date one of them, I'm not the type to ditch you, Tanaka. You're my only otaku friend."

'Ryouta-kun… Fufu, you really haven't changed at all, have you, Ryouta-kun.'"Huh? I have too changed! I've been on all sorts of lovey-dovey dates with the Beauty Trio!"

'But if you can't date any of them, you're destined to be a virgin for life, right?'Her logic was so flawless I couldn't even argue.

'Well, that's fine in its own way, I suppose.'"What do you mean by that?"

'It's nothing~ I have cram school soon, so I'm hanging up.'"Oh, okay. Thanks for everything, Tanaka. As always, it's easy talking to you. I feel like I can say anything."

'……!'"Hm? Tanaka?"

'That's… that's exactly it, geez.'With that final, muttered phrase, the call ended with a click.

"Wh-What does she mean, 'that's exactly it'?"

☆☆

Several days later, during lunch break.

"Everyone~, the script is ready~"

Hino, the committee representative, returned from printing copies in the computer lab. He called all the cast members to the front of the room and began distributing the finished scripts.

The script… it's finally done.I had my doubts, but I was relieved to see it completed. I opened the copy Hino handed me.

"Look, look, Ryouta! My dwarf character has a ton of lines~"

"O-Oh… that's great, Miyama."

Miyama was playing a dwarf, but apparently, she was the leader of the seven, which meant a significant number of lines. Making her the leader was probably a strategic move to draw in her fanbase from around the school.

"Yay! I get to talk a lot~"

The girl in question, oblivious to any strategy, looked purely delighted. So carefree. I wish they'd cut my lines.As I flipped through the script, a sudden realization dawned on me.

Wait a minute… this casting…Since the roles were gender-swapped, Hino was playing the evil queen (the stepmother), but aside from him, every other role was filled by a girl. The huntsman who lets Snow White escape was a girl, and all seven dwarves, including Miyama, were girls.

And on top of that, the princes were Yuria and Kuroki…

No… this is a full-blown harem Snow White, and I'm the center of it."The morning performance will feature Ichinose-san as the prince, and the afternoon performance will have Kuroki-san. Thanks."

As Hino explained the schedule, Kuroki and Yuria gave slight nods. Right, it was a double cast. First Yuria, then Kuroki. I wish they'd double-cast Snow White, too…

"Hey, Ryouta."

Yuria's voice cut through my sour thoughts.

"I've never acted before, but… I'm going to take this seriously. So you better take it seriously, too, Ryouta."

"Y-Yeah…"

With that, Yuria turned and walked back to her seat.

"Geez, Yuria. She gets serious about the weirdest things."

Kuroki murmured, watching Yuria's retreating back before turning to me.

"Ryouta-kun. Since we are to be partners bound by fate… let's have a lot of fun, shall we?"

"Wh-What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said. We are the prince and Snow White, boundby destiny."

Kuroki's words were, as always, laden with hidden meaning.

Partners bound by fate, huh.

☆☆

I let the boring afternoon classes wash over me, my attention focused entirely on the script. I hadn't been in a play since the kindergarten Christmas pageant, and now I was cast as the heroine. I had to work harder than anyone. It was obvious from the sheer number of lines I had. I needed to read this thing until I knew it by heart, or I'd freeze up on stage.

Lost in the script, I barely noticed the afternoon classes coming to an end.

Today's after-school festival prep was voluntary since Hino, our committee lead, was absent. After being forced to participate day after day, I decided to head home and focus on memorizing my lines.

Just as I was packing my bag, Miyama, Yuria, and Kuroki gathered at Kuroki's desk.

"Hey, you two! Today's prep isn't mandatory, so let's all get together and read the script! Rui-chan, you have the day off from track practice today, right?"

"Yes, I'm free."

"Yay! Then~, can we go to Rui-chan's house?"

"My house, huh…"

Kuroki hesitated, her eyes inexplicably flicking over to me.

Wh-What now?Sensing her gaze, I pretended to continue packing while shamelessly eavesdropping.

"Hmm… my house is a bit difficult today. My father said he's using the large room for guests, and my room is… well, let's just say it's a little messy."

Even as she spoke, she kept glancing at me.

S-Seriously, why do you keep looking at me!"I see. My house is small and a total mess, so that's a no-go. What about you, Yuria?"

"M-My room is… impossible, too."

Yuria said with a strained smile. Knowing her, her room was probably a shrine to Chichikyun. If they found her Milk-tan baby bottle, she'd go from being the school's number one gyaru to the breast-milk-sucking gyaru. I couldn't really talk, though; my room was also full of things I'd rather not have seen…

"Should we go to a family restaurant then?"

"Eh? The last time we went to the one nearby, it was packed with delinquents from West Middle. It was so noisy. Though, thanks to Rui, they all shut up pretty quick."

"Rui-chan was so cool then! She silenced those delinquents in an instant."

"Hehe. It was nothing, really."

H-Hold on, what did Kuroki do to those delinquents? I was genuinely curious…

"If the family restaurant is out, what about Starbucks?"

"But Starbucks will probably be full of students from our school, and we won't get seats… Besides, Airi will try to drink three Frappuccinos."

"I-I would not! I'd get a stomach ache if I drank that much!" Miyama protested, her face flushing. That sounded exactly like an amount she would drink.

"So, what's the plan? Since Rui finally has a day off, I'm fine with whatever she decides."

"Yeah. I'm good with whatever Rui-chan wants to do. The new karaoke place by the station, the usual bowling alley, I'm okay with anything."

"Geez, Airi. We're supposed to be reading the new script today, remember? We're not just playing around."

"Boo, Yuria the party pooper. But for someone so serious, your panties today were pretty flashy, weren't they~"

"Wait!"

Wh-What!? Yuria's panties… are flashy!? Miyama! I need more details!"D-Don't say weird things, you idiot!"

"Gugyuu! F-Forgive me! Sorry, Yuria!"

Blushing furiously, Yuria trapped Miyama in a side headlock. Miyama squirmed, her massive chest pressing against Yuria's thick thighs.

N-Nuoohhhhhh!! A miraculous fusion of Miyama's massive chest and Yuria's thick thighs!! A truly moving moment…!"…Wait, huh?"

As I was staring intently at the two of them, I realized Kuroki was standing right in front of my desk.

"Hehe…"

An unsettling, ominous smile spread across her face as she turned to the wrestling pair.

"Alright you two, break it up. I've decided where I want to go."

At Kuroki's words, Yuria released Miyama.

"So, where is it, Rui? Karaoke?"

"Nope. I was thinking, since we have the chance… I want to go to Ryouta-kun's house."

"""Wh-What!?"""

Could it be… that smile from earlier… was because she was planning this all along…!? Just how far will this girl go…!☆☆

And so, with the three beauties deciding to descend upon my home, I found myself walking back from school with them.

How did it come to this…There was no time to hide the mountain of creepy otaku merchandise in my room. Normally, I'm shameless enough not to bother with covers for my light novels, but the thought of these three seeing my room, my private sanctuary, filled me with an unbearable sense of embarrassment.

It was the ultimate rom-com harem scenario: bringing three beautiful female classmates into my room. But precisely because of that, I couldn't bring myself to be happy about it… haa.

Sure, if it were just one of them visiting, I could probably handle it. But with all three at once, I was terrified I'd accidentally let slip one of their secrets. At the very least, I needed to warn Yuria not to react to any anime merch.

"It's kind of a new experience, the four of us walking home together, huh?"

"Actually, it's been a while since the three of us walked home, right? Rui's been at practice every day lately."

"I'm always sorry about that. Because I'm so busy with track. You were lonely, weren't you, Yuria?"

"I-I was not lonely!"

"Hehe… sure, sure."

The three of them chatted happily ahead of me. Walking with them like this, it was painfully obvious how much attention they attracted. Businessmen on their way home, old men out for a jog, ladies walking their dogs, even elementary school kids—every single person they passed turned to stare.

That's how stunning they were. The space they occupied, a convergence of the talented beauty Kuroki, the buxom beauty Miyama, and the school's number one gyaru Yuria, had a special aura that kept others at a distance.

Walking home with such gorgeous girls, I couldn't help but feel out of place. There was no way a slimy introvert like me could fit into their sparkling, popular world. Even though we were together, I trailed behind them, head down, pretending to be a stranger.

"Hey, Ryouta!"

"Hya, yes!?"

Miyama's sudden call made my voice crack in surprise.

"Hey Ryouta… what was that voice?"

"Ryouta-kun, are you nervous, perhaps?"

Yuria and Kuroki turned to look at me as well.

"I-I'm not nervous! It's just… you guys are just coming over for a script reading, right? You'll leave right after?"

"""…"""

As if on cue, all three fell silent.

Are they planning to stay for a long time?"Hey, hey! Ryouta's house has video games, right? Airi wants to play games!"

"Hey, Miyama, I just said…"

"Ryouta, don't be mad. It's fine if we play games, right?"

"That's right, Ryouta-kun. We're all hanging out together, don't be so stiff. Right?"

Huh? Did Kuroki just say "hanging out"?Could it be that they never intended to read the script from the very beginning?

"Everyone! Let's stop at this convenience store~"

"Good idea. Let's grab some snacks and drinks before we go."

"Roger that. Come on, Ryouta, let's go."

"Ehhh…"

☆☆

After a stop at the convenience store, we arrived at my house, laden with shopping bags.

"Hey, hey! Where's Ryouta's room?"

"M-My room is on the second floor, first door on the right… but."

I planted myself at the bottom of the stairs, blocking their path.

"Please. Just give me three minutes. I really need to clean my room."

"No. Let us in now."

"That's right! I want to sit down already!"

"Ryouta-kun? I don't mind if it's messy."

"Well, I do!"

It wasn't that the room was dirty, but… it was simply not in a state fit for female guests. For all I knew, it might even smell.

"Fine. Then, can we at least wait in front of your room? We'll wait there."

"Eh, oh, yeah."

At Yuria's request, I led the way upstairs. After bringing the three of them to my door, I stressed, "Wait right here," and slipped inside.

There was no time to hide the figures and tapestries, and nowhere to put them anyway. They already knew I was an otaku, so the bigger concern was…

"Deodorizing spray it is!!"

I grabbed the can of air freshener I always used after… various activities… and sprayed it liberally around the room.

P-Please, at least let the smell be okay!"Three minutes are up! Coming in~!"

"H-Hey! Miyama!"

I highly doubted three minutes had actually passed, but Miyama barged in first, followed closely by Yuria and Kuroki. All three of them stood there, taking in the sight of my room.

"So this is Ryouta-kun's room…"

"You have so much merchandise."

The walls were plastered with tapestries of risqué illustrations. A three-tiered steel rack was crammed with figures. In the corner stood a massive five-tiered bookshelf I called the 'Light Novel Wall,' filled with nothing but light novels. It was, undeniably, an otaku's sanctuary. Having this private space seen by them was mortifying.

"Ryouta's room is amazing. Wow, there are so many scrolls of girls hanging everywhere~"

Calling tapestries 'scrolls'… well, she wasn't entirely wrong.

"Hmm. I knew it already, but you're a huge otaku, Ryouta."

Yuria commented, giving off a strong "I'm totally different" vibe. Even as she said it, I was sure her own room wasn't much different. For now, I could only pray she doesn’t slip up.

"Sniff, sniff… huh? It really smells like air freshener in here!"

"I just sprayed it. I was worried it might smell."

"Eh? But I like Ryouta's smell~"

My smell… she likes it!?"Right, Yuria? Ryouta smells nice, doesn't he?"

"Well, yeah… I don't hate his smell, either."

I couldn't comprehend it at all. What on earth do I smell like?

"Hey, how about we have the juice we bought? I'm getting thirsty."

Kuroki produced a 2-liter bottle of apple juice from one of the shopping bags.

"Um, Ryouta-kun. Could we borrow some cups?"

"Oh, right. I'll go get them, but…"

Wait. If I leave, the three of them will be alone in my room…I didn't think they'd go through my things, but…

"What's wrong, Ryouta-kun?"

"Oh, nothing… Just use the cushions over there and have a seat."

I left them in the room and went downstairs alone to fetch the cups.

Is it really okay to leave them by themselves…?But no matter how it happened, they were my guests. I couldn't ask them to get the cups themselves.

Well, it should be fine… right?☆☆

I grabbed four cups and a medium-sized plate from the kitchen cupboard, arranged them on a tray, and started back upstairs.

I hope they're not doing anything weird in my room…While my walls were covered in moe tapestries and figures, the truly dangerous items—the adult games, the Blu-rays, the boobymouse pads—were all safely hidden deep under my bed. I didn't want my mom to find them during her cleaning sweeps. In other words, as long as they didn't start digging under my bed… I was safe. No problem.

Still, Miyama and Kuroki's reactions were unexpected. Yuria was an otaku like me, so she was fine, but I had expected Miyama and Kuroki, being non-otaku, to be genuinely disgusted by the moe art and figures. Neither of them seemed particularly repulsed. Miyama used to hate otaku before we got close… but ever since we started talking, she hadn't shown a trace of it.

Did this mean I had managed to get close to Miyama and Kuroki, despite being a gloomy, introverted otaku?

"…Close, huh."

I never imagined I'd have this kind of relationship with those beautiful girls. It would have been unthinkable just a short while ago.

Lost in thought, I arrived back at my room and opened the door.

"Hey, I brought the cu…ps?"

The three of them had made themselves completely at home. Miyama was sitting sideways on a cushion in front of the TV, Yuria was lounging in my gaming chair, scrolling through her phone, and Kuroki was sitting on my bed, casually surveying the room.

"Oh, Ryouta, you're finally back~"

"Thanks for the cups, Ryouta-kun."

Even though Kuroki was on the bed, it didn't look like my stash had been discovered. There were no signs of tampering. I breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"I'll pour the juice, then."

"I'll help, Rui."

Kuroki took the tray from me and, with Yuria's help, started opening the snacks and pouring the juice. They seemed surprisingly coordinated. Do they do this often?

"Hey, Ryouta? This game console won't turn on~"

Miyama, who had been fiddling with the SP5 controller, came to me with a pout.

"You're already playing games? What about the script reading?"

"Yeah, I wanna play games!"

"Haa… so this is how it's going to be."

I picked up the SP5's power cord and plugged it into the wall. At this rate, the entire afternoon would be spent just lazing around.

"Ryouta, what kind of games do you usually play? The ones where you shoot people?"

"I get motion sick from FPS games. I mostly play RPGs and stuff. Recently…"

Hm? Wait… recently?Come to think of it, when was the last time I even used the SP5? I think it was when that certain Blu-ray arrived and I… sampled it… wait, ah!?

D-Damn it! This is bad! Right now, inside the SP5 is the Blu-ray disc of 'Wow! A Swimming Competition Full of Former Gravure Models! All Wardrobe Malfunctions?'!This is an emergency, so I'll skip the explanation of the contents, but this is bad—if this continues—

"Oh, the game's starting~"

"Wait! Hold on, Miya—"

"Hm? Hey, what kind of game is this 'Wow! A Swimming Competition Full of Former Gravure Models! All Wardrobe Malfunctions?'? It has a weird title."

""Huh!?""

The moment Miyama read the title aloud, the air in the room froze solid.

Ah, this is really, really bad.My thoughts ground to a halt. To think that my favorite work (a piece of profound artistic merit) would be exposed to my female classmates…

"Ry-Ryouta… you…"

Yuria's lips trembled, her face beet red.

"Hey, Airi? I'm suddenly craving some ice. While we're getting the snacks ready, could you run down to the kitchen and grab some?"

"Yeah! Got it, Rui-chan!"

For some reason, Kuroki expertly guided Miyama out of the room, and Miyama trotted off like a dog chasing a frisbee.

"Now then, Ryouta-kun," Kuroki began, a full-blown smile on her face. "I'd like to ask you something—what exactly is that?"

It was a smile that wasn't a smile at all. Anyone could see that. Realizing my fate, I reflexively dropped into a seiza position on the floor in front of the TV, finding myself being looked down upon by the two standing girls.

This was no longer a friendly visit. It was an interrogation.

"Ryouta… why are you watching such perverted stuff! I mean, don't people just watch that kind of thing online these days!"

"Well, you see, I'm the type who prefers to watch on a big screen…"

"Wh-What!?"

"Hehe, that's so like you, Ryouta-kun."

"Wait, Rui. Why are you so accepting of this!?"

While Yuria was flustered, Kuroki remained strangely calm. She even had an air of composure, as if she already knew all my preferences… Wait, what do you know about me?"So. Ryouta, what do you… do with this?"

"Wh-What do I do…? I just do… that."

"You—"

"Now, now, Yuria. Ryouta-kun is a growing boy. It's only natural for him to watch this sort of thing."

"…Hey, I just realized something. Why are you defending him, Rui? You and Ryouta were just in the same middle school, right?"

"Eh? W-Well, Ryouta-kun and I are… you know?"

Kuroki shot me a suggestive look, her eyes glistening as she spoke.

H-Hey! What's with that insinuation? You're making it sound like we have some kind of special relationship!"Wh-What's that supposed to mean? Are you two secretly dating or something?"

"That's not it! Kuroki and I are just from the same middle school—"

"But it's weird, isn't it? Rui has hated guys since our first year and is cold to everyone else, but she's different with you, Ryouta."

"Hehe, if you're going to say that, Yuria, you're usually cold to boys too, but you and Ryouta-kun seem to get along surprisingly well, don't you?"

"That's… not related, is it? I mean, I'm only friendly with him because we're partners in the play… a-anyway, I'm asking about you and Ryouta's relationship right now!"

The two of them began a verbal volley, probing and testing each other. Both of them believed they were the only one who shared a secret with me. It was only natural, since I was the sole keeper of Yuria's otaku hobby and Kuroki's black-hearted perfectionism.

Somehow, thanks to Kuroki's suggestive comments, the conversation had taken a sharp, complicated turn.

Haa. This was still better than being teased about my secret Blu-ray… hm?

C-Could it be? Did Kuroki do this on purpose to change the subject away from the Blu-ray…? Did she deliberately do it… to protect me from having my fap material exposed…?

At that moment—the door swung open with a bang.

"Everyone! I brought ice! Let's all play that Wardrobe Malfunction thingy!"

"""We are not playing that!!"""

"Hoeh?"

Miyama genuinely seemed to think it was a game.

☆☆

"Wait, Rui-chan, you're too strong! One more time!"

"Hehe. Then if I lose this next one, you have to give me a shoulder massage."

"Ehhh~"

After that whole ordeal, the Blu-ray incident was concluded without Miyama ever learning its true nature. Thanks to Kuroki, the two of them had started a fighting game, and the crisis was averted.

Bored, Yuria and I sat side-by-side on my bed, watching them play.

"Ry-Ryouta…? Sorry about earlier. Given my position, I had to be harsh."

Yuria suddenly apologized in a small voice.

"Don't worry about it. Normally, finding out a creepy introvert like me watches that stuff would be even more disgusting, right?"

"…"

"Yuria?"

"Actually… I-I've watched the same thing before…"

"Wha…?"

I couldn't hide my shock at her sudden confession.

Y-Yuria has also watched 'Wow! A Swimming Competition Full of Former Gravure Models! All Wardrobe Malfunctions?'…? Why would you confess that!?"Isn't this, like, fate?"

"That's not a fate I want."

She was now forbidden from ever getting angry at me for any pervy jokes. We were comrades.

"So you don't just watch 2D Chichikyun, Yuria? You watch that stuff, too?"

"Ry-Ryouta, you might not know this, but… girls watch that kind of thing more than you'd think… though there are purely innocent and slightly dumb girls like Airi, so maybe it's just that I have a stronger libido."

Yuria's face was an even deeper shade of red than before.

S-Stronger libido… that's kind of hot. Actually, this gyaru is way too hot."Ah, enough of this talk! I'm sweating so much my bra's going to show through."

Let it show through."By the way, there was something I wanted to ask you, Ryouta."

"Hm? What is it?"

"That 'Lucky & H' manga on your bookshelf. Why is volume 1 missing?"

"'Lucky & H'… volume 1?"

I had no memory of it.

"Why are you asking about that all of a sudden? I don't remember something from that long ago."

"…Y-Yeah, you're right. It's a series from when we were in elementary school, after all."

Yuria said with a strained smile. I had the same thought when I was looking for the Snow White book the other day. I bought 'Lucky & H' so long ago, the details are a complete blur. I might have thrown it away after spilling something on it, or maybe I lent it to Tanaka and we both forgot, resulting in an unintentional permanent loan. But Tanaka is the type to return borrowed things with snacks, so that's unlikely. The only other suspect would be my damn sister, but she's a fujoshi and doesn't read straight romance.

(Note: fujoshi is a slang term used for women who enjoy BL manga, anime, or novels. It’s a pun on 婦女子 (respectable woman) and turning it into 腐女子 (rotten girl))

"Did you want to read it, Yuria? If you want something similar, I just bought the full series of 'Locust 1000%'."

"Ah, it's okay! I just saw it and was curious."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. More importantly, I should probably join them before Airi starts sulking."

"Sulking?"

I looked over at the two gamers. Next to a smiling Kuroki, Miyama was puffing out her cheeks, glaring at the screen.

"Twenty losses in a row… Geez! Rui-chan, go easy on me!"

"Hehe."

That perfectionist… Even with her kind facade, she clearly hates to lose at anything.

"Airi, don't get so worked up over a game. Honestly, Rui is being childish, too."

"Wait, Yuria! If Rui-chan is being childish, does that make me a child!?"

"Ah, that's—"

As Yuria faltered, I couldn't help but think, Well, if the shoe fits…"Why don't we play something all four of us can play next? A party game. Come on, Ryouta, you play too."

"I-I don't mind, but… are you guys really not going to read the script?"

"""No."""

Haah… Just as I thought. These girls have zero tension about the culture festival. Am I the only one taking this seriously? Then again, for popular kids like them, a festival is just for fun. Maybe they're incapable of feeling tension.

"Hey, Ryouta, Ryouta~ I need to throw away the snack wrappers, so can you get the trash can~"

"Trash can? Oh, yeah."

At Miyama's request, I brought the trash can over from the corner of the room.

"Thanks, Ryouta… huh? This bag lining the trash can…"

"Bag? Oh, I always line it with a bag so the can doesn't get dirty."

"…Just as I thought, this is…"

"What's wrong, Miyama?"

"Huh? U-Um, nothing! I just thought this blue bag is pretty rare!"

A bag from Animate is rare? I'm so used to seeing them in otaku-filled spaces that I don't get it.

"So, what are we playing now? I'm fine with anything."

"I want to play this 'Life Board Game'! It looks like four people can play."

"Heh, Ryouta-kun has party games? How unexpected."

"Guh…"

D-Damn you, Kuroki, implying I don't have party games because I'm a loner.

Well… I only ever play this with my family, so she's not entirely wrong.

"I think this game has marriage between players, right?"

"H-Heh… so that's a thing, huh?"

"…Hmm. Rui, you sure know a lot about it."

After Kuroki's unnecessary comment, Miyama and Yuria responded awkwardly. What was with this atmosphere?

In that tense air, our Life Board Game began. It's a game that simulates life choices: club activities, exams, marriage, raising children. I'd only ever played it with my family, and I never imagined I'd be playing it with this group.

Miyama, Yuria, and Kuroki sat on cushions in front of the TV, while I sat on the bed behind them, controller in hand.

"I want to be super rich, so I'm going to study a lot!"

"Wow, the complete opposite of your real life."

"Yuria, you said something!"

"Didn't say a thing~ I'm going for realism and maxing out my looks. What about you, Rui?"

"Me? I'll go with… talent, I suppose."

Ugh… so very Kuroki.The game had four main stats: academics, athletics, looks, and talent. These stats determined your future job and life events. I was raising all my stats evenly, but the three of them were hyper-focused on one each. In reality, of course, Miyama and Yuria had already maxed out their boob and thigh stats, respectively.

As I was thinking such things, my gaze drifted to their assets. Yuria must have sensed it, because she shot me a glare. Scary, scary.The student phase ended, and we entered adulthood, with jobs and marriage.

"Student days are over, now it's adult time. I still have no money at all~"

This was the part I was most worried about. The adult phase contained the 'marriage squares' Kuroki had mentioned. On these squares, you could propose to another player, regardless of gender. What would the three of them do?

"Hmm… since we're playing the princess and prince in the play, I'll propose to Ryouta-kun, our princess."

"What!?"

Yuria let out a shocked cry at Kuroki's declaration.

"What's wrong, Yuria? Is there a problem?"

"N-Not really. But if Rui's doing that, then since I'm also a prince… I'll propose to Ryouta too, just because…"

"What do you mean, 'just because'!?"

"Then I'll propose to Ryouta too!"

"Y-You guys…"

I had a bad feeling when Kuroki mentioned the marriage option, but I never thought it would come to this. Even if it was just a game, I had just been proposed to by three of the most beautiful girls in school.

This was the ultimate choice! Choosing one of them was like being asked to pick a starter Pokémon when all the options were legendaries. I could almost hear a voice in my head, 'Choose one of these three beautiful girls~'"Ryouta-kun, if you marry me, you'll never have to work another day in your life. I'll support you."

"Wait, Rui. What's with that offer to be a kept man?"

"Because I'm a future Olympian."

"Geez, Rui-chan, it's not fair to use your real-life special skills! Then, then, if you marry me, I'll cook delicious meals for you every day! I'm a great cook!"

"M-Me too! I'll handle all the housework, and I… I want kids, too."

What’s with these girls, suddenly getting so serious? An impromptu appeal battle had begun. But even if they tried to win me over, it was just a game… marriage with one of them, huh.

If I married Kuroki… she would have complete control over my life and death. If I, as her husband, ever defied her, the only outcome would be 'death'. But it was true that with her, I could literally be supported for life. She'd go to a top university like Tokyo U, become an Olympian, and then get a job at a top-tier company… or maybe become a celebrity or model. Her face and figure were already outstanding, and she'd become a stunningly beautiful wife. Since she's perfect at everything, married life would probably be flawless. Yes, flawless… definitely.

"What's wrong, Ryouta-kun?"

"Oh, no… nothing."

Kuroki was always a mystery. I still couldn't read her heart, and I felt like if I let my guard down for a second, she'd dominate me to my very core.

Miyama, on the other hand, was the complete opposite—an open book. I could always tell what she was thinking. And those massive boobs… they were already this big in high school. They'd be incredible in the future. Yes, they would. And getting married means… you know…

Being able to do whatever I want with those boobs would be the ultimate happiness for any man. Plus, given her circumstances, I genuinely wanted to take care of her. I wanted to let her eat all her favorite foods…

"Hey Ryouta, your gaze is getting lewd."

"Ow, ow!"

Yuria, sitting next to me, pinched my cheek, apparently thinking I was visually violating Miyama. What was with her? She'd been strangely conscious of where I was looking…

So, what about marrying Yuria? We share hobbies, and for a degenerate like me, her responsible, big-sisterly personality might be a good match. Also, her thick thighs are amazing, so add a million points for that. The only concern is that she might stop being a gyaru after marriage. The 'former-gyaru housewife' is a genre I quite enjoy, but if a girl as beautiful as Yuria gave up the gyaru look, she'd just be a regular super-beautiful wife. Yuria without the gyaru style… I'd like to see it, but a part of me wants her to stay a gyaru forever. A conflict between the former-gyaru faction and the current-gyaru faction erupted within me.

Ultimately, such conflicts always end with the same conclusion: "thick thighs are justice."

"…Hm?"

"""Mmph…"""

As I was lost in my creepy otaku delusions about marrying each of the three girls, I realized they were all staring at me with suspicious eyes.

"Ryouta, who are you choosing in the end?"

"Geez, hurry up and decide!"

"Hehe… there's no need to even think about it, right?"

E-Even if you say that… 

Urged on by the three of them, my mind raced.

Th-This is just a game! Even if I choose Kuroki, I won't get to live a life of leisure. Even if I choose Miyama, I can't grope those boobs. And even if I choose Yuria, I won't get to have her do naughty things with those thighs!

With that in mind, who should I choose…? If I pick one, the other two will definitely give me disgusted looks. Especially the perfectionist Kuroki. But to move the game forward, I had to choose. There was no escaping this ultimate choice.

Natural massive boobs, a gyaru's thick thighs, or a selfie-loving perfectionist with an erotic navel.

It's come to this… I have to decide.

"Then… I'll choose—"

All three of their gazes locked onto me—and at that exact moment.

"Ex-Excuse me—ah."

The door to my room creaked open, and a small girl with red-framed glasses peeked her head in.

"…T-Tanaka!?"

The one who had suddenly intruded upon my harem space was not a family member, but my otaku friend, Tanaka Kanade. Dressed in her usual oversized summer uniform that dwarfed her small frame, the introverted, loli-like girl froze, her eyes wide as she took in the scene.

"A-abababa, abababa…"

"H-Hey, Tanaka?"

"Ryo-Ryouta-kun is really having a foursome!!!!"

"I am not doing anything of the sort!"

Tanaka shrieked something outrageous, panicking for some reason. She was clearly misunderstanding…

"By the way, what do you mean, 'really'?"

"I ran into your sister at the station. She gave me this key and said, 'Go on in and don’task questions.'"

"That stupid sister…"

I had wondered how Tanaka, my only friend, had gotten a key. So that's what happened. My sister, who has been convinced I'm destined for a foursome with these three, must have decided to throw Tanaka into the mix as well.

"Oh? That's Tanaka-san, right? We were in the same class last year!"

"Ah, the girl who was always reading, right?"

"Hehe… Why is Tanaka-san casually entering Ryouta-kun's house?"

The three beauties' gazes shifted from me to Tanaka. One of them, in particular, was directing an incredibly intense stare…

"U-Um, well, a plankton-tier introvert girl like me who's had almost no friends my whole life shouldn't be in the same space breathing the same air as sun-drenched extroverted beauties like you all, but, um—"

Tanaka, her introvert aura on full display, began rattling off incomprehensible nonsense at an incredible speed. Was she panicking that much? Even I, a rock-bottom introvert, don't get like this.

But that's right. Tanaka has a slight connection to these three. In that case… I have no choice but to rely on her. Her appearance had given me, who was trapped in an impossible choice, a fourth option.

And that option was absolutely not to make Tanaka Kanade my bride.

Yes, the fourth option that had just been born within me was…

"A-Alright, Tanaka! Take my place in this game for a bit!"

"Huh? W-Wait, Ryouta-kun!?"

"Do whatever you want! I'm going to the bathroom!"

"Geez, Ryouta!"

"Hey, Ryouta! Don't run away!"

By entrusting the decision to Tanaka, I had successfully escaped the ultimate choice. Though, now that I thought about it, there was a chance she wouldn't decide and would just wait for me. Well, if that happened, I'd just have to face the choice with resolve…

Steeling myself, I returned from the bathroom to find a literal hell on earth.

"Wh-What… is this?"

In my room, Tanaka was lying with her head in Miyama's lap, controller in hand.

"Ohoho~ Airi-tan, next I want you to feed me snacks with an 'aah'."

"Geez, Tanaka-chan, you're hopeless. Here, aah~"

Tanaka and Miyama were acting like a lovey-dovey newlywed couple. Looking at the TV, it seemed Tanaka had made the ultimate choice for me and picked Miyama. I don't know how it happened, but despite beingmarried in-game… Tanaka was now being spoiled to the absolute maximum by Miyama.

I-I'm so jealous of this guy…! Trade places with me right now, Tanaka!I was starting to regret abandoning my choice.

"H-Hey, Ryouta… this girl is seriously gross."

"It can't be helped. When Tanaka gets a little close to someone, she's the type of introvert who loses all sense of personal space."

"Ryouta-kun, kick Tanaka-san out right now."

"You're being harsher than usual."

Though I had escaped the ultimate choice, the price was that Tanaka had managed to get on the beauties' bad side within minutes.

☆☆

Despite Tanaka's intrusion (or rather, my forcing her to intrude), the Life Board Game continued to the end.

Kuroki, who didn't marry me, remained single and stoically pursued the 'inventor' route. Her inventions were a massive success, and she won with an overwhelming lead in total assets.

As for me, with Tanaka controlling my character, I married Miyama. I became a 'company employee' and Miyama became a 'model'. We had six children, and a series of lovey-dovey events followed. I ended up in 2nd place.

And amidst all this, what happened to Yuria…

"Wh-Why am I… a comedian…"

During the employment phase, Yuria failed her 'model' audition roulette. She then tried for 'announcer' and failed that too. Ultimately, she was faced with a choice between the randomly selected 'comedian' or remaining an unemployed 'NEET'. She agonized before choosing comedian. She ended up becoming something like a certain sharp-tongued female comedian and reached the goal… but a string of bad luck left her in last place.

"Hehe, maybe you should consider a career in comedy for real, Yuria?"

"Sh-Shut up! Just because you became an inventor… And Airi! Didn't you want to be super rich!?"

"Yuria? I realized that love is more important than money in this world ♡ Right, Kanade-chan?"

"Yesss!! I'll contribute as much as you want for Airi-tan!!"

Tanaka, you're seriously gross.But it was refreshing to see Tanaka getting along with other girls for the first time. She's only had me as a friend since middle school, after all. Though, seeing this, I could understand why she had trouble making friends… that was my honest impression.

"But honestly, it wasn't Kanade-chan I wanted. Rather, I wanted Ryouta himself to choose."

Miyama said with a grin, looking at me sideways.

"Wh-What's with that?"

"Because I was super curious which one of us you would choose!"

When Miyama said that, Yuria and Kuroki both nodded in agreement.

Even if you say that…

"No, to be honest—"

"What? Do you have a problem with us, Ryouta?"

"That's not it! It's just, being asked to choose one from the three of you top-tier beauties is way too much! It's an impossible choice!"

"""!"""

My statement made all three of them widen their eyes. Their suspicious expressions melted into confused ones, and they all looked away.

Eh, did I… say something weird?"Ugh… all three of them are so easy."

"Shut up, Tanaka."

"Tanaka-san, be quiet."

"Tanaka-chan, you're being noisy."

"M-Major bashing… Also, Airi-tan, please call me by my first name like before!"

I didn't really get it, but they seemed to be having fun, so I just watched from the sidelines.

☆☆

"Everyone, we should head home soon. It'll be a problem for Ryouta-kun's family if we stay too long."

As the sun began to set, Kuroki finally prompted everyone, and we decided to disperse.

"Eh~ I want to have a sleepover~"

"Th-That's obviously not happening!"

"That's right, Airi. If you did, Ryouta might do something perverted to you."Yuria looked at me with jaded eyes. 

What was with her, making me sound like a repeat offender? (Though I did have quite a few priors).

"Well then, let's go home. Thanks for today, Ryouta."

"Y-Yeah."

I walked with the four of them to the entrance to see them off.

"Starting tomorrow, we'll be preparing for the festival for real. We need to read through the script, or we'll never be ready in time."

"Yeah, yeah. Got it."

"See you, Ryouta~"

After seeing them all off, I slumped my shoulders and went back inside. That was an incredibly exhausting afternoon…

Well then… shall I return to my room, which still carries the faint scent of beautiful girls…I-It's not like I'm planning to do anything indecent—"Hey, Ryouta-kun."

"!?"

A voice called from behind me. I spun around in surprise to see Kuroki standing there.

"I forgot something in your room… may I go up?"

Kuroki Rui had come back, claiming she'd "forgotten something," after the others had left. She had appeared behind me without a sound.

"F-Forgot something…? You're not lying, are you?"

"It's true, Ryouta-kun. What? Do you suspect me?"

"I-I don't mean it like that, but…"

Given her track record, I felt like Kuroki was capable of anything to make me fall for her. In fact, this whole visit was her idea in the first place. She must have had a reason for wanting to hang out in my room. Kuroki never did anything without a purpose. Come to think of it, she had been strangely calm and quiet the whole time.

Could it be that her real goal was to create a moment like this, to be alone with me…?

"Hehe… are you perhaps expecting something, Ryouta-kun?"

"E-Expecting?"

"For example, are you thinking that I deliberately left something behind so I could be alone with you in your room and do something… improper?"

Kuroki's voice was unusually calm, her eyes narrowed.

"Wha…! I-I'm not! I wasn't thinking that at all—"

Her speculation was too specific, and since it wasn't entirely wrong, I became flustered. If she was being this direct, could it be true? Did she really leave something behind on purpose, plotting to do something weird with me in my room…!?

This is terrible… is it finally time… for my vir☆gin☆ity to gra☆du☆ate?

"Hehe, but too bad. I didn't forget something on purpose, and I have no intention of doing anything improper that you’d enjoy, Ryouta-kun."

"Eh…"

"Sorry to get your hopes up. I'll leave as soon as I get my forgotten item."

Th-This girl… Hearing something like that would make any guy's heart waver. Blood was rushing to both my head and my lower half, but I somehow managed to hold on.

Stay cool. If I let myself get carried away by her, both my mind and body would be in serious trouble.

I let Kuroki back into the house, and we went up the stairs together.

"Today was fun, wasn't it, Ryouta-kun? Those two seemed to enjoy themselves. I wonder if you had fun, too?"

"I… w-well, I guess."

I couldn't honestly say I had fun. If I did, I had a feeling they'd start coming over every day.

"More importantly, Kuroki… weren't you bothered?"

"Bothered? By what?"

"By coming to my house, obviously."

"Why would I be?"

"What do you mean, why…"

We reached the top of the stairs and entered my room as we talked.

"I mean, no one would want to come into an otaku's room like this, right? From your perspective, maybe you're forcing yourself to do this for the sake of your 'perfection', but this is going too far—"

"You still—don't understand, do you, Ryouta-kun."

Kuroki cut me off, retrieving her smartphone from under a cushion.

"It's true that I said I needed you 'for my own perfection.' But what that means is, I need you so that I can continue to be perfect."

She needs me so she can be perfect?I had no idea what she was talking about.

"I thought you'd understand right away, since you're surprisingly sharp, Ryouta-kun… What a shame."

"Wh-What's that supposed to mean?"

"But even that side of you… hehe."

Kuroki muttered as she walked past me and out of the room.

"I'll tell you the true meaning after the culture festival is over. So let's work hard on our play, shall we? My princess."

"Y-Yeah."

Her doubly-loaded words lingered in my mind as I saw her off.

That Kuroki… she better not have forgotten anything else…I cautiously returned to my room and, alone at last, began to read the script.

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