The Fate of the Protagonist Who Chose the Harem Ending - Episode 24

The Day Before the Cultural Festival

The cultural festival was finally drawing near. 

The difficulty of the Super Ball Scooping was adjusted by preparing several types of scoops. 

Surprisingly, Yuusuke took charge of this.

For children, there were three strong scoops. 

For middle schoolers and older, there was one regular scoop. 

For the challenge, there were two very weak scoops.

The children would break the first scoop by force, become cautious with the second and eventually break it. And the third was for a final attempt. 

The regular scoop was designed to have the perfect balance of tension, where failing meant the end. 

The challenge scoops were weak enough to be instantly destroyed. So they were designed to make people realize their fragility. 

According to Yuusuke, the difficulty couldn’t be too easy or too hard; the sweet spot made it fun.

However, with this setup, the rate at which people could play would be slow. So it was decided in a class meeting that we’d split the scooping area into three sections.

The sign was now complete. 

It depicted the super balls being scooped up by a scoop, and others that had torn and fallen. 

It was also written that there were participation prizes and a challenge available.

With that finished, I went to return the paints and supplies to the art club.

When I entered the room, I found Nanase-san and Satsuki Shinkan-san there again. 

I had been so caught up in the summer abduction and the landscape painting that I’d forgotten about him, my quiet classmate. 

Nanase-san was working on the same landscape painting as before. 

The difference was that now, there were many similar landscape paintings scattered around. 

It seemed like Shizuku was curious about it and was talking to Nanase-san.

“Nanase-san, you’ve painted so many versions. But are you still painting more?”

“…I just want to paint something that I can be satisfied with.”

I admired Nanase-san’s stoic nature—wanting to be satisfied and painting many versions until she got it right. 

Now, maybe I should talk to Satsuki-kun, who had been quietly watching.

“Satsuki-san, you’ve been staring for a while. What are you thinking?”

“Well, watching a work take shape and seeing the internal struggle of wondering if it’s good enough… But despite the frustration, the way someone confronts their work is beautiful.”

I didn’t have that kind of sensitivity. Maybe that was what made Nanase-san so captivating to him—seeing her constantly redo things until she was satisfied?

“I’m not really good at drawing or creating things… But Nanase-san’s works never get boring to look at, even if I just stare.”

It sounded like an overly affectionate statement right in front of her. 

I wondered why Nanase-san hadn’t yet left the harem group. Was it because of things like that?

I felt like I shouldn’t intrude. Or rather, something cold and fearful seemed to hang in the air. 

Having finished what I needed to do, I took Shizuku and left the art room.

—

And then, the much-anticipated day of the cultural festival arrived.

Students, their invited friends, and families came to enjoy the event.

Among the visitors were some unusual faces. They were bodyguards in suits. 

Oh right, Kanefune-senpai is the daughter of a wealthy family. I had almost forgotten that with her usual wild behavior. 

It seemed that because the general public was coming in, she had bodyguards with her.

But Kanefune-senpai looked a bit bothered. Perhaps it was because she couldn’t do her usual antics with the bodyguards around. 

When she noticed me, she came over.

“Higashitani-cha~n, Shizuku-cha~n, come kidnap me~…”

“I don’t want to pick a fight with your bodyguards, so no thanks.”

“Just like Haru, huh?”

“Wha… so it was all just for fun…?”

“Not for fun, but definitely as friends.”

I shot her down directly, and she drooped. This version of Kanefune-senpai threw me off balance.

“Lady, there are people here who aren’t students. Please give up.”

“Alright, alright, I get it! But I’ll make you work for this!”

She said, pouting at her bodyguards.

—

Anyway, the cultural festival had officially begun.