The Fate of the Protagonist Who Chose the Harem Ending - Episode 28

An Ocean Ready to Embrace Both Malice and Affection  

“So, Nanase-san has left too.”  

“That artist could probably go pro in the future, but she’s been swept away. Only two remain now.”  

“Man, that’s refreshing!”  

“I wonder who’ll be the next to steal it again?”  

“Probably Oumi-kun. He’s been sticking close to Imakoga-san lately.”  

Class 2-A was abuzz with speculation about what would happen to the remaining two members of the “harem”.  

At least Class 2-A was somewhat civil.  

Classes 2-B and 2-C didn’t care enough to even bother discussing it. They had no interest in going out of their way to observe.  

The real issue was in Class 2-D, where both Imakoga-san and Oumi-kun were. The dwindling group had intensified the malice directed at Imakoga-san.  

“Imakoga doesn’t have to leave, does she? She’s perfect for that jerk of a guy.”  

“If anything, maybe I’ll just take Oumi-kun for myself.”  

“But he has bad taste—he’s totally into Imakoga.”  

“It’s just because she’s smart, right? I’m smart too, so I’ll be fine.”  

“Then I’ll introduce him as my current boyfriend, just to rub it in!”  

This was what I heard from Aiba about the state of Class 2-D.  

Daikai-kun might call himself an idiot, but his instincts were sharp.  

He must have subconsciously started taking Imakoga-san to the library more often, considering how frequently they went together.  

“Yuri-chan, do we really have to stay uninvolved?”  

“I get why you’re worried, but pressuring Imakoga-san will only corner her further.”  

“Ugh…”  

“Still, the situation in 2-D is bad…”  

“Yeah, even in games, bad rumors can mess everything up. It tanks your stats in all sorts of ways.”  

We were spending our after-school time in Class 2-B with Shizuku, Aiba, and Yuusuke. We were discussing what to do about Imakoga-san and Oumi-kun.  

Yet, we couldn’t intervene directly. It left us frustrated and unsure of our next move.  

“What if Oumi just eloped with her and they both disappeared? We could ask Kanefune-senpai for financial help.”  

“That’s… the most extreme of last resorts, isn’t it?”  

I doubted Kanefune-senpai would agree to such a plan. But then again, this was the person who once jokingly offered a ¥500 million wedding gift.  

She might actually use her family’s resources to forcibly separate people if asked. That selfish thought crossed my mind.  

“Man, I wish someone would just put a stop to the bad rumors about Imakoga already.”

“Hey, tell me exactly what these bad rumors about Imakoga are.”  

“!?!”  

“O-Oumi-kun…!?”  

“Wait, Oumi, we’re on the side trying to help here!”  

“Exactly. If anything, we’re rooting for you two!”  

At some point, Oumi-kun had approached us unnoticed and overheard. He was now asking about the rumors surrounding Imakoga-san.  

Despite calling himself an idiot, Oumi-kun wasn’t someone who resorted to violence.  

If he were, Imakoga-san wouldn’t be by his side, nor would she be free of bruises.  

Having apparently overheard part of our conversation, Oumi-kun seemed calm and composed.  

“I’ll explain. But… what I’ll say will reflect poorly on Imakoga-san. Please, bear with me. Otherwise, I won’t be able to explain.”  

Aiba tried to reason with Oumi-kun, persuading him to listen.  

“……..Fine. I’ll trust you, since you didn’t run away.”  

In that moment, Oumi-kun embodied a raging sea that had calmed. He was ready to accept everything.  

He listened intently to Aiba. His earlier fixation on Imakoga-san showed just how much he cared.  

“This is just speculation. But I don’t think Imakoga-san rejects you because she dislikes you. She just doesn’t want the bad rumors about her to spill over onto you.”  

She conveyed this to Oumi-kun.  

“…That actually makes sense. So that’s why she keeps turning me down, even though I’ve made it clear I like her.”  

His intense expression softened, replaced by one of resolution.  

“Thanks. I underestimated how serious this was. That ends now.”  

Oumi-kun apologized for suddenly interrupting us.  

“I’ll go straight for it, like the idiot I am.”  

He muttered as he walked off: 

“She calls me dumb, but she’s not so bright herself. She should just lean on me already.”  

—

“Do you think this will work out?”  

“It seems like we ended up bridging the gap, whether we intended to or not…”  

“But even if things work out between them, what about the bad rumors? And Ichijou?”  

“That’ll depend on his courage… Maybe he’ll make it a test of some sort.”  

And so, after everything that happened…  

The end-of-term exams were just around the corner.