The Fate of the Protagonist Who Chose the Harem Ending - Episode 11

These two are unbelievable (※ Aiba Yuri’s perspective)

I, Aiba Yuri, welcomed Shizuku-chan into my home and invited her into my room.

I prepared some tea and handed it to her. But I decided to cut straight to the chase since I was too impatient for formalities.  

After all, Shizuku-chan, you might be in the same situation as Higashiya-kun.  

“Let me ask you directly. Shizuku-chan, do you like Higashiya-kun?”  

When I asked her that, she didn’t panic or act flustered. She calmly answered.  

“I do like him. If anything ever happens, I can always rely on him.”  

Just hearing that made me hold my head in my hands. It was the same way I did back then.  

“Alright, let’s confirm—can you see him as someone of the opposite s3x?”  

“Why do you sound so unmotivated…? But yeah, I can.”  

I mean, I’m asking the same thing as before—it’s hard *not* to sound unmotivated.  

“If you can see him that way, then why don’t you make a move on him?”  

“Well, because… because…”  

“No ‘because’. Just say it. I won’t laugh.”  

When I spoke in a tone meant to gently coax her, Shizuku-chan lowered her head and answered in a weak voice.  

“After causing so much trouble over Ichijo-kun, it’d feel wrong to just give up and say, ‘Okay, I’ll go with you instead.’ That would mean disregarding Haru’s feelings, wouldn’t it?  

Damn it. I thought everything would be fine if Higashiya-kun said okay. I hadn’t considered this.  

To just toss someone around and then settle for them?  

That’s way too self-serving to even think about becoming lovers.  

Shizuku-chan’s a good girl—she could never do something like that.  

I have to say something. Wait, I remember hearing from the other girls that he’s quite popular.  

Wait, this could be bad.  

“Even so, if you don’t act, it’s going to get messy. There are plenty of girls aiming for Haru.”  

“Huh? But Haru doesn’t care about romance.”  

That’s only because you’ve been by his side! But….. 

If someone else made a move, there’s a chance Higashiya-kun might respond.  

“That’s just because he hasn’t been interested yet! For a guy who cares that much, no ordinary girl would let him go unless there’s a really good reason!”  

At this point, I was determined to shock her into action. If I left this alone, she’d regret it for sure!  

“Just so you know, if he ever came on to me, I’d accept him in a heartbeat.”  

And, yes, that includes that kind of thing.  

“If we got married, the whole “childhood friend privilege” would lose its effect. And you’d never get involved again. Not even you, Shizuku-chan, would be able to take him back.”  

When I described a possible future like that, Shizuku-chan’s face turned pale with despair.  

“Wait, no… I don’t want that… I don’t want that at all…”  

—

“But… I don’t want to, but…”  

I think I was getting frustrated with Shizuku-chan’s waffling.  

I knew I was saying some pretty crazy stuff.  

“Ugh, fine! You just invite Higashiya-kun over to your house, strip, and seduce him! Spend the whole night doing it!”  

“What!? How can you even say that!? That’s way too indecent!”  

Seeing Shizuku-chan turn beet red and wave her hands wildly, I almost felt like I should seduce him myself.  

Thankfully, my rationality kicked back in.  

“What? Are you saying you can’t do *that* with Higashiya-kun?”  

“With Haru…?”  

When I asked her the same way I did before, she reacted just the same.  

“Haru would lean over me, his strong hands gripping my chest….

.

.

.

Wait, no! I’m not wearing cute underwear right now!”  

Watching Shizuku-chan lost in her fantasies, I put my hand to my forehead.  

These two are way too alike.  

Honestly, Shizuku-chan is even worse for saying her fantasies out loud.  

What even is this ridiculous mutual pining?  

It’s nauseating—though if I were to puke, it’d probably be pure sugar.  

“If you’re feeling remorseful, let me tell you something useful.”  

“Wh-What is it?”  

“Higashiya-kun said he’d be fine doing *that* with you. Even if you switched to him after Ichijo-kun, he’d accept you.”  

When I said that, Shizuku-chan burst into tears.  

Wait, what!? I didn’t mean to make her cry!  

“Wh-What!? I’m sorry! Did I say something awful?”  

“N-No, it’s just… I felt relieved thinking it’d be okay…”  

“So, does that mean you can go for Higashiya-kun now?”  

I felt like he’d probably accept her if she confessed right now. But I waited for Shizuku-chan’s answer.  

“Yeah, I’ll make a move on Haru!”  

With a smile blooming like a flower in full bloom, Shizuku-chan said that.  

For the first time, I hated Higashiya-kun.  

To be able to monopolize that kind of smile…….  

Share some with me, too!  

And then I had this thought:  

Maybe Ichijo was the one hiding Shizuku-chan’s feelings for Higashiya-kun.