The Fate of the Protagonist Who Chose the Harem Ending - Episode 18

The End of Sports Day

“Team A was totally dominant!” 

“Right? A triple score lead!” 

Shizuku and I marveled at the overwhelming difference in scores. 

The third-year Class A students were roaring in victory, while the other classes hung their heads. They were muttering frustrations like, “Damn it! We wanted to win!” 

“Fufufu, good work at Sports Day, you two.” 

“Oh, Kanefune-senpai, good work!” 

“Good work, Kanefune-senpai!” 

Kanefune-senpai approached us while dragging Yuusuke along. 

“Uh… did Yuusuke do something?” 

“Not really. I’ve got an errand, and this guy threw up. So I’m taking him to a Kanefune Group hospital.” 

I could only assume the vomiting was caused by a combination of his lack of sleep and today’s intense Sports Day. 

But a hospital run for just that? Was the vomiting more serious than I thought? 

“Wait, just for that?” 

“Higashitani-chan, there are all kinds of causes for vomiting. Head trauma leading to brain bleeding, heatstroke-induced exhaustion, norovirus, tuberculosis… Even an autonomic nervous system imbalance from sleep deprivation could do it. Don’t underestimate with words like ‘just sleep deprivation’, okay?” 

Kanefune-senpai explained. She mentioned the variety of illnesses nowadays and the importance of caution. 

Despite her unpredictable personality, moments like this reminded me she was the daughter of a powerful conglomerate family. 

“Really, Adachi-kun……. If only he’d sleep properly…” 

“Exactly. Well, I’ll take him from here. See you later!” 

“Thank you, Kanefune-senpai. See you at school!” 

We watched as she dragged Yūsuke away. 

“Why…?” 

Ichijou muttered to himself. 

He was standing nearby. He was seemingly unaware of our presence—or perhaps just not caring. 

There was an uncomfortable aura around him, so Shizuku and I quickly headed back to Class 2-B. 

—

“What was up with Ichijou just now?” 

“No idea. He won, but he’s moping around. Makes no sense.” 

Seriously, what’s with that guy? 

“The Ichijou-kun from before summer break feels like a mirage now, doesn’t he?” 

“Looking at him now, it really does seem that way.” 

A mirage… an illusion. Indeed, the current Ichijō felt like a completely different person from the one back in summer. 

I couldn’t help but agree with the thought. 

We soon forgot about Ichijou and chatted happily. 

Between our conversations, there were occasional teasing remarks from others, like “Don’t get too lovey-dovey, it gets dark early!” 

—

“………” 

“……….” 

As everyone left, Shizuku and I were the only ones remaining in the classroom. 

We sat in silence, gazing at each other. 

Eventually, Shizuku broke the quiet. 

“Everyone’s gone now.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Let’s kiss.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“If it’s you, Haru. No, it *has* to be you.” 

With that, Shizuku slowly leaned closer. And our lips met. 

For a moment, a few seconds, or perhaps even a few minutes—it felt endless. 

When we finally pulled apart, Shizuku’s cheeks were tinged pink. Her expression was shy but joyous. 

“We kissed.” 

“My first kiss, you know?” 

Knowing she gave her first kiss to me made me incredibly happy. 

“It’s my first kiss too, Shizuku.” 

“Yay! We shared our firsts with each other!” 

Her joy was like a field of blooming flowers. It was a sight I didn’t want anyone else to see. 

Holding onto that possessive thought, I realized it was already getting dark. 

“Let’s head home together. I’ll walk you back.” 

“Thank you! Oh, wait!” 

Shizuku suddenly smiled mischievously, her eyes glinting with playful intent. 

“Why don’t you stay over at my house tonight? It’s been a while!” 

“Wait, really? Is that okay?” 

“Of course! Mom will be thrilled!” 

She explained that her mother wanted to thank me for helping Shizuku regain her cheerful self during a difficult time. 

It was an invitation from my girlfriend—how could I refuse? 

“Alright, let’s head straight to your place.” 

“Yay! Welcome to my house!” 

Hand in hand, we walked toward her home. 

—

When we arrived, her mom teased us with a playful, “Should I prepare some celebratory red rice tonight?”

(Note: In Japanese culture, red rice (赤飯 – sekihan) is a traditional dish made by cooking glutinous rice with red azuki beans. Which gives the rice its reddish color. It is often served during celebrations or special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, the birth of a child, or other happy events. The red color is symbolic of good luck and warding off evil spirits.)