Chapter 85: The road to harem is a long way

Translator: Soafp

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“Impossible.”

“Not going to happen.”

On that day, I confessed to the two beloved women. However, they rejected me without much hesitation… Why did I even think of a harem in the first place? It goes back to the day before.

[What should I do…]

I was troubled. Just then, I received a call from my mother… I consulted with her.

Being reciprocated by two women and admitting that I loved them both…

[If you like both of them, why not date them both? If you want to be a family, there’s always adoption. Embrace love, Izayoi.]

At that moment, I understood. There was no need to choose one person. Maybe a harem ending was fine, as long as I could love them both wholeheartedly.

[Let’s overflow with love.]

I couldn’t use psychology to make them fall for me. All I could do was keep expressing my true feelings and keep trying to win them over. I wanted to create a harem. That became my goal.

However, they wouldn’t accept it.

“Why!! I love you both so much!”

“No, it’s not normal.”

“I think it’s a no too… from a societal standpoint.”

“Let’s break those norms! I love both of you! Please!”

“”…””

I banged my head against the floor. Their disappointed gazes were fixed on me. But I couldn’t give up.

“Karen-senpai, you don’t dislike Kohaku-san, right!?”

“Eeh, yeah, I mean, I don’t dislike Kohaku… Stop suddenly using our names like that… Ugh, it’s embarrassing…”

“Then let’s all hold hands together!”

“Izayoi… If I said I wanted a boyfriend other than you, what would you do?”

“That’s… Of course I wouldn’t like that! Are you trying to kill me!?”

“Exactly! That’s the point!”

“I understand your point of view!! But I like both of you!! I want both of you to be my girlfriends!! I want to be intimate with both of you on dates, with one on each side!!”

“You’re not holding back at all!!! You’re saying it so directly!!! No way!!! Absolutely not!!! Besides, if I’m agreeing to be your girlfriend, you don’t have to settle for that!!!!”

“I can’t settle for that… I like both of you…”

“Enough! That’s it, you’re the worst!!”

Karen stormed out of the room. The path to a harem was a rocky one…

“How about you, Kohaku-san!? I like you. But I also like Karen-senpai. So I want both of you to be my girlfriends!!”

“Well, let’s see… First of all, calling me by my first name out of the blue was quite touching… And personally, being told that someone wants to date me made me genuinely happy.”

“Then, will you date me?”

“No, I won’t.”

She cut me off with a smile. Ah, I like that smile too.

“Because of the result of such an appeal… I don’t find it amusing that someone wants to two-time…”

She puffed her cheeks slightly and emphasized her unhappiness, not by crossing her arms and accentuating her ch*st… I mean, she was emphasizing her displeasure. Well, if it comes to this, I’ll cry and seek sympathy.

It’s a dirty trick, but there’s no helping it…

“I’m sorry. But I love you. My heart is screaming. I want to go out with you both… Ugh.”

“…It’s no good if you lie and cry like that. I won’t tolerate two-timing.”

It was discovered in an instant.

“I beg of you! I want to be more affectionate with you. I want to have intimate moments and be intimate! And yes, I want to have s*x!”

“Do you want to have s*x?”

“I desperately want to!”

“How about dating?”

“Of course!”

And so she sat on my bed with a slightly seductive smile.

“Fufu, is that so? You want to be with me like that? Oh, I see, I see. Do you want to kiss right now?”

“Can I do that!?”

“If you say you’ll only date me, you can do anything you want. Whatever you want to do is fine. Right here, right now, you can pin me down and… do naughty things together…”

Saying that, she undid a couple of buttons on her clothes… I got a bit nervous last time, but honestly, I want to do it right now.

“Sorry, I want both of you to be my girlfriends. But I also want to be intimate right now! So please, allow me to have a girlfriend right now! And let’s deepen our love!”

Saying that, she quickly buttoned up and stood up from the bed.

“Well then, everything’s on hold.”

“I-I see.”

“Well, I guess I could go on a date with you at least.”

“Let’s go tomorrow then!”

“Yeah, but you know, Izayoi-kun saying he wants to two-time is a bit… I don’t know…”

She shot me a teasing look and gesture. Just being on the receiving end of that mischievous gaze made me happy. I wanted more of it!! But, here she was talking about wanting to go on a date.

“I want to go. Because I love you more than anything else. Going on a date with someone like you will surely become a treasure to me. Let’s go!!”

“Haa, i-if you put it so straightforwardly… Ugh, it’s embarrassing… Well, I guess it can’t be helped. So, about the date…”

“Also, I want to raise the favorability rating enough through our date to convince you to accept the harem idea!!”

“Why do you keep saying things like that… Well, I’m definitely not going now.”

“Is that so…”

She stood up from the bed and placed her hand on the door.

“Muu, even if it’s just me, I could be yours with no returns anytime… until then…”

As she was leaving, she said that. The harem idea wouldn’t be accepted right away. However, I would definitely make her accept it in the future. Because I was overflowing with love.

Once again, I vow to make both of them my girlfriends.

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[Karen PoV]

What the heck… Two-timing? Harem? Is he an idiot? After saying he loves us so much, talking about a double heroine route? Seriously, Such an idiot. Idiot idiot idiot idiot!!

Ah, but I was happy that he honestly said he loves me. To have someone direct such sincere love towards me is something I might not encounter again in my lifetime. I could have started dating him right away if he hadn’t said anything ridiculous about a harem or whatever…

Wait, he even mentioned sex… wanting to do that… and saying he wants to have a threesome… Who says things like that!? Wanting to be sandwiched between us on a date… What kind of desires are those!? Ugh, why did it turn out like this…

Anyway, I absolutely won’t accept the harem idea!

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[Gindou PoV]

Ehehehe, I saw a side of him I’ve never seen before, whispering words of love. Ehehe. I teased him a bit, but even so, he came on so strongly… it’s so heartwarming! He wasn’t usually this proactive when it came to saying things like that. That’s why I was the one who had to take the lead. But honestly, I felt a bit unsatisfied because I wanted to hear those words of love from him. But earlier, he whispered words of love so passionately… Still, I absolutely won’t accept the idea of two-timing.

Certainly, his love came across. In an incredibly overwhelming way… I doubt I’ll ever meet someone who loves me that much again. But he said he also likes Karen-senpai.

I knew that. That’s why he tried to settle the matter, and then he tried to fight a decisive battle with …… tremendous determination.

[I, Kuroda Izayoi, both like Hihara Karen and Gindou Kohaku!! Both of you, be my girlfriends pleeaaseee!!]

Why did it turn out like this…

If he loves me, isn’t that enough!? We could just hold hands like that! But for him to declare it so boldly… I wish he would have said it with a bit more regret. Well, in any case, I won’t accept it.

Haa, I wonder how things will turn out from here… But if he comes to me, I guess this relationship isn’t so bad… maybe?

But I’m absolutely rejecting the idea of two-timing!

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[Moegi PoV]

Something feels different… The atmosphere during dinner tonight is unusual. We’re having mapo tofu for dinner. It’s Aoi-chan’s favorite, and since it’s my turn to cook, I made it.

Kohaku-chan seems to be in high spirits, which is good, but the two of them aren’t competing for his attention like usual. Normally, they’d be urging him to eat and eat…

Then, he suddenly stands up and opens his eyes wide.

“Why won’t you do the ‘aah~’ for me?”

…What’s going on? It sounds like he’s addressing both of them, but they’re giving him uncertain looks.

“Please do it!”

“No way.”

“I refuse.”

Wait, the roles are reversed! What’s happening!? Aoi-chan seems confused too, her gaze shifting. Mel-chan starts pretending to fall asleep.

“Why!? Come on, ‘aah~’ for me!”

“Retract your two-timing declaration, and I might consider it.”

“Yes. And if you choose me, I’m willing to do anything you want.”

“Wha!? W-Well then, if you choose me, I’m also prepared to do anything for you!”

Two-timing? I’m not entirely sure about the details, but as if competing with Kohaku-chan, Karen-chan boldly makes an embarrassed statement. And the wording is a bit strange.

“Both of you… Please!”

“No.”

“I won’t do it.”

Both of them are refusing so definitively… It’s not the usual sweet atmosphere. I thought the two of them were somewhat easy going around him, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

“…Karen-senpai!!”

“I won’t.”

“…Kohaku-san!!”

“I won’t do it.”

When did they start calling each other by their first names? I can’t tell if they’re getting closer or more distant… I don’t really know. One thing’s for sure, he’s at fault. He must have said something to them.

Once he realizes he won’t get what he’s asking for, he starts eating the mapo tofu himself.

“It’s delicious.”

Huh, so it’s delicious, huh? Oh well. I mean, I’m the one who cooked it…

“It’s really good. But I still want you to do the ‘aah~’.”

“As long as you’re talking about two-timing, I won’t do it.”

“Is it really so unacceptable to have multiple girlfriends?”

“It’s a definite no.”

“But these feelings are genuine. I’ve fallen for both of you. I can’t choose between you.”

“…Izayoi, think about societal norms. It’s not acceptable.”

“Let’s shatter those absurd societal norms together!!”

He and Karen-chan face each other and talk. Karen-chan looks like she’s at a loss, holding her head as if wondering how things got like this. I pretty much get it. He confessed to both Kohaku-chan and Karen-chan. And that’s how this confusing situation came about…

Then, his words make Aoi-chan and me react.

“Um, you shouldn’t really break societal norms.”

“The one who’s acting absurd is you.”

While he faces Karen-chan, he’s not giving in to the two-timing idea at all. Growing impatient, he grabs Karen-chan’s shoulder.

“Eek!”

As he grabs her shoulder, she blushes and lets out a small, embarrassed squeal. Oh, I thought she might have been disillusioned by his two-timing behavior, but it seems she’s still fond of him after all.

“Please go on a date with me!”

“W-Why would I?”

She’s stuttering. It’s adorable.

“I want you to go on a date with me so you can get to know me better and increase your favorable impression of me, and then I can make you accept the two-timing situation!”

The first part is good, but saying the latter is just foolish, isn’t it?

“Gah, let go. I’m not going on a date!”

“Fufufu, until you agree, I’ll keep holding on!”

“Ugh, you pervert. You’re practically a molester!”

“I want to go on a date with you! Because I like you! I want you to be my girlfriend!”

“W-What are you talking about!?”

What are they doing at the dining table? Oh dear, Kohaku-chan’s expression… and Aoi-chan’s…

—So nice, being whispered sweet nothings like that…

“Just once! Let’s go on a date at least once! I like you! You’re the best in the world! I want to go on a date with you, the one I like, and increase your favorable impression of me!”

“Ah, w-well… I guess there’s no helping it. If you’re putting it that way, just once.”

“Thank you! Let’s go tomorrow!”

“The day after tomorrow. If we’re going… it’ll be the day after tomorrow.”

“Understood!”

Can they stop flirting at the dining table? And Karen-chan is blushing and grinning too much…

“Haa, I guess it can’t be helped. I’ll go to another room for now.”

After clearing the dishes, Karen-chan leaves the living room. Probably to make an appointment at the salon and pick out an outfit.

Now, what about Kohaku-chan? She seems really displeased.

“Kohaku-san, would you like to go on a date too?”

“Tsunn.”

Oh, how cute. Kohaku-chan’s ‘tsunn’.

“When should we go!?”

“Tsunn. I’m in a ‘tsunn’ mood, so talking to me is pointless. I won’t talk to you about this two-timing thing.”

Wait, someone needs to stop this constant grinning. Every time I look at Kohaku-chan, I can’t help but smile.

“You’re adorable. You’re so adorable! If I could have someone like you as my girlfriend, I’d surely be happy! So, please date me!”

“Tsunn.”

“Your… ‘tsunn’ is adorable too. It’s amazing. I want to see more of it!”

“T-Tsunn. Tsunn, tsunn.”

Oh no, stop it! This mapo tofu I made, which I added doubanjiang, tianmianjiang, and chili peppers to, has turned out sickeningly sweet!

What’s with this cuteness!? While continuing the “tsunn,” she somehow responds to his requests. Is she a goddess!?

“Could you act a little more spoiled?”

“Tsunn~♪”

Hey, cut it out!!

“And now with a more clingy tone!”

“Tsuuuunn♡”

It’s painful to watch. I might start bleeding!!

“Hey, Moegi.”

“What’s up?”

“This mapo tofu is so incredibly sweet… Why?”

“Well, there’s nothing you can do about it! This is how it turned out!”

Kohaku-chan seems happy after being praised by him. Stop getting all lovey-dovey with each other!!

“Way too cute! This is dangerous, Kohaku-san! Do more of it!”

After that, the mapo tofu was sweeter than a parfait.

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[Karen PoV]

What should I do!! A date!!! What about my clothes!? I need to fix my hairstyle!!!

I was worrying too much yesterday… I’m exhausted. However, I want to approach the date with a sense of composure. First, I visited a beauty salon.

“How would you like it?”

“Uhm, just tidy it up a bit…”

Being someone who prefers indoor activities, I’m surprisingly not comfortable with making eye contact with hairdressers. Even looking at them through a mirror is uncomfortable for me.

In general, I usually watch anime at home, and I used to go for 1000 yen haircuts. The reason I started going to a beauty salon… it’s all Izayoi’s fault. I’ve upgraded from 1000 yen haircuts to a proper salon!

I wanted to become even cuter and catch his attention… but then this two-timing happened!!

The hairstylist trims my long hair a bit and strikes up a conversation. She’s one of those lively and outgoing types. Seems like she has good social skills.

“Would you prefer not to have too much cut?”

“Yes, if it’s too short, it might feel like the animation suddenly changes from the first season to the second, causing a sense of discontinuity. I want to stay as my usual self, so please don’t cut too much.”

“I don’t quite understand, but okay…”

Twin tails are my trademark. Izayoi also said he likes twin tails. I won’t change this hairstyle.

“But anyway, you’re really cute, miss. You must be popular, right?”

“Well, I’m not sure… I haven’t had much experience being told that.”

“Oh, really?”

H-hey, don’t just strike up a conversation all of a sudden!! I’m not used to this extroverted aura. Oh no, our eyes met in the mirror… awkward.

Honestly, I don’t talk much. I’m more of a bookworm… Although I do talk quite a bit with Izayoi…

“Miss, is it a date by any chance?”

“Wha—… Y-Yes.”

“I thought so, your boyfriend must be really cool.”

“…Yes, he’s cool…”

What is this! Stop bombarding me with questions!! I’m a true indoor person, you know! My social skills aren’t actually that high!

“What kind of person is he?”

“U-uhm… when I’m with him, I have fun, my heart races… He seems ordinary at first, but he’s always so earnest, he’ll help me no matter what, he loves me a lot… He’s kind, a little naughty, his smile is wonderful, and just looking at him makes me want to smile too. He’s a really wonderful person…”

No, hazz!!! This is so embarrassing!!! Am I an idiot!!? Way too embarrassing!!

“You really love him huh.”

“Y-Yes…”

“A person like that will cherish you. I had someone like that in the past, but he was two-timing me…”

“I-Is that so…”

“Never date a two-timing boyfriend!! People like that will do it with three, four, or even five others!”

“I-Is that so…”

This person’s intensity is off the charts…

“Well, those experiences are important too. By the way, I’m already married.”

“H-heh, I see…”

Hey, I didn’t ask about that!

“A boyfriend who even thinks about two-timing is trash, stupid, and utterly foolish, lower than the dung of a goldfish.”

Hold on, I’m starting to get really mad. Izayoi isn’t like that…

“Relatives of fungi that live with their lower half!!!”

She’s not talking about Izayoi, right? It must be that. Izayoi is definitely different.

“Anyone who wants to two-time is scum! The dregs of society!!”

“Ah! I-Izayoi isn’t like that at all!!”

…Everyone in this hair salon— the hairdresser, the customer getting a haircut, and the waiting customers— they all looked at me.

“I-I-I’m so, so sorry. I apologize…”

“Y-Yes, I went a bit overboard as well.”

I yelled and shouted even though this person didn’t deserve it. I’m sorry…

I probably shouldn’t come back to this salon… I’ve caused trouble after all… With a slight sigh, I head back home.

---

“Welcome back, Karen-chan! Did you go to the beauty salon?”

“Yeah, how do I look?”

“Well, um, not much seems to have changed… At first glance, it might not be noticeable…”

“Well, I didn’t want to change my overall style too much, so I guess it’s understandable. By the way, my bangs are trimmed by three millimeters, and this twin-tail is five centimeters shorter.”

“Ah, yeah, so you’re as cute as always.”

Well, if I didn’t change that much, it’s understandable that it might not be noticeable. Actually, I don’t notice much either; the fact that I got groomed is what’s important.

And then, Izayoi arrives.

“Karen-senpai! Your bangs and twin-tails are a bit shorter!”

W-What? He noticed on the first look… Just how much does he like me!?

“Y-you really noticed.”

“Well, after seeing you in the illustrations thousands of times… I mean, it’s because my heart is filled with love for you that I noticed!!”

“R-Right…”

I didn’t quite understand the first part of what he said, but well, it’s a compliment that he noticed, right?

Wait, what am I thinking? Stay composed.

“Let’s go on a date tomorrow!”

“Y-Y-Y-Y-Yeah.”

…A date, huh. Isn’t this the first time? A date with Izayoi, I mean.

I’m looking forward to it…

A faint smile formed on my lips.