Chapter 324 Shimizu Akira's Harem +2 / Airi and Haruka's Confession
Sakayanagi Arisu felt like she was having a streak of absolute rot lately.
On the first day of the special exam, Class A was targeted by a three-class alliance.
Today, after finishing her meal, she had just seen Ichinose Honami and Shimizu Akira emerge from a corner.
She was about to go over and offer a few "greetings" when someone bumped into her. Her cane flew out of her hand, and she landed squarely on her rear.
To reiterate: she was not a cripple.
She simply used a cane to assist her walking and save energy. But this fall hurt so much she nearly saw stars.
Fortunately, she was wearing a tracksuit... at least there was no risk of exposure. Her rear felt like it was splitting, and her heart pounded against her ribs. Her face flushed instantly—half from pain, half from pure rage.
'Who was it?! Do they walk without eyes?!'
She gritted her teeth and looked up. She saw three girls staring back at her, their faces devoid of any apology.
"Watch where you're going!"
"Exactly, walking so fast even with a cane!"
"That's why you bumped into me, you asked for it!"
Sakayanagi immediately recognized them: Manabe Shiho, Yabu Nanami, and Yamashita Saki from Class D. The one who had bumped her was Manabe herself.
Not only did she lack remorse, but she also shifted the blame.
"...Hehe, my apologies," Sakayanagi squeezed out a smile, suppressing her fury. "It was all my fault."
"Hmph, pay attention next time!" Manabe snorted and turned to leave.
"Everyone, please wait!"
At that moment, Shimizu Akira and Ichinose Honami walked over. Honami reached out to Sakayanagi: "Sakayanagi-san, are you alright?"
"...No need for help, I can get up myself."
Sakayanagi didn't take her hand. Instead, she leaned against the wall, slowly pushed herself up, and retrieved her cane. Once standing, she brushed the dust off her clothes. With her pride, she would never allow anyone to help her unasked.
"Manabe-san, I saw what happened just now." Honami turned to the trio, her voice stern.
"You were the one who bumped into Sakayanagi-san. You are the one who should apologize."
Manabe's face stiffened.
"Which eye saw that? She clearly suddenly—"
"I saw it," Akira interrupted. "Do we need to check the security cameras? There should be some in the hallway."
Manabe choked on her words. Yabu and Yamashita exchanged looks, their momentum visibly weakening as they stepped back. Manabe instinctively touched her wrist; the bruises left there on the rooftop not long ago had only recently faded.
"S-Sorry..." Manabe muttered reluctantly.
Sakayanagi chuckled softly.
"There's no need to apologize, Manabe-san. After all, I was 'walking too fast.'"
"I've apologized, so I'm leaving!" Manabe blurted out before dragging her companions away in a hurry.
Only the three of them remained in the hallway.
"Thank you for stepping in." Sakayanagi turned to Honami and Akira, her smile returning to its usual composure.
"Though I could have handled it myself."
Honami looked at her with concern.
"Is your... are you okay? That fall looked quite heavy."
"I'm fine, I'm used to it." Sakayanagi lightly flexed her wrist.
"More importantly, Ichinose-san, were you and Shimizu-kun in that corner... discussing something important?"
"Just a normal chat," Honami replied quickly, her ears turning pink.
"I see~" Sakayanagi elongated her tone meaningfully, her gaze traveling between the two. "Then I won't disturb you. Goodbye~"
She walked away with her cane at a steady pace, her back ramrod straight. Once she was out of sight, Honami let out a sigh of relief.
"It's great that Sakayanagi-san seems okay!"
Akira, however, looked in the direction Sakayanagi had vanished and shook his head slightly.
She didn't even flip out on the spot... Manabe is going to suffer miserably later. It was common knowledge that Sakayanagi Arisu was an exceptionally vengeful person.
Honami suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, Akira-kun, what you said about 10:30 PM in the utility room... was it real?"
"It's real. Just be careful when you come out."
"Mhm! Then... can I go tonight?"
"You can."
A smile bloomed on Honami's face, the earlier gloom vanishing completely.
"Then I'll head back first! See you tonight!" She waved and jogged away.
Akira stood there, looking at both ends of the hallway. Honami was running toward the light, while Sakayanagi faded into the shadows.
'Could these two be considered natural enemies?'
.
.
.
Sunday, a day of rest.
There were no mandatory group activities, but the classrooms remained open. Akira sat alone on a cushion, trying out meditation for a while. Honestly... it was getting a bit addictive. After the morning session, his mood and emotions felt stabilized.
According to the meditation instructor, exercising immediately after sitting—moving between stillness and action—would keep one spirited all day.
About twenty minutes later, Akira ran a few laps on the track. It might have been psychological, but his body felt lighter than usual, and his breathing was smoother.
When he returned to the dorm, he noticed that even on a rest day, teachers were still guarding the path to the girls' building.
"So strict..." It seemed even on breaks, the only time boys and girls could meet was that one hour during dinner. All other contact was prohibited.
"Based on the theme of the exam, this is likely part of the mental discipline." Ayanokouji Kiyotaka appeared behind him at some point.
"If boys and girls were allowed to mingle freely, many would slack off. Couples, especially... they'd probably talk late into the night, which disrupts managed routines.
Speaking of which, you seemed to be out for half an hour last night," Ayanokouji noted pointedly.
Akira's lip twitched. That half-hour... was indeed spent alone with Honami. But it was limited to hugs, light kisses, and whispers; anything more wasn't appropriate for a utility room.
"So," he changed the subject, "you asked about the boxing club before. Still want to join?"
"...I'll pass. Since we'll be second-years soon, if I join, I'd have to be a senpai, which means I'd have to look after kouhais." Ayanokouji shook his head slowly. The guy was thinking pretty far ahead. True, once they were second-years, the incoming freshmen would call them "Senpai."
"By the way, why did Ishizaki and Katsuragi call you 'T-Rex'?"
Akira was genuinely curious. He had been out last night, and when he woke up this morning, he heard the guys in the dorm admiringly discussing a "T-Rex" in reference to Ayanokouji.
"Uh... actually..." Ayanokouji showed a rare, subtle hesitation before explaining slowly that they had a "manly showdown of dignity" in the bath last night, commonly known as... comparing sizes.
"...!?"
Akira had experienced many speechless moments, but this one truly floored him.
'A bunch of men dropped their towels in the bath to compare that?'
Just imagining the scene made him lose his composure.
"...So, you won?"
"A draw with Koenji Rokusuke."
"..."
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Kushida Kikyo had received Akira's note. It mentioned his usual seat at dinner and the utility room secret.
'The utility room! I can finally see my boyfriend!'
She thought of something and turned to Sakura Airi.
"Airi, I saw Chabashira-sensei call you away the other day. What did she want?"
"That..." Airi instinctively stammered.
"What, you can't even tell me?"
Kushida instantly put on a hurt expression, lowering her head.
"You kept the Sudo incident from me before, and now this... I guess Airi doesn't see me as a friend after all. I was even going to help you get closer to Shimizu-kun..."
"Wh-no, it's not like that!" Airi's eyes turned red with panic.
Kushida had been so good to her lately—helping hide her idol identity and protecting her in class. Even Haruka said they got closer to Akira thanks to Kushida's advice.
She bit her lip and finally gave in.
"Actually... Chabashira-sensei gave me a note to give to Shimizu-kun, saying it was about the special exam..."
Between the teacher and her friend, she chose to trust Kikyo.
After all, when Sudo was attacked, Chabashira had been cynical about her being late to testify, while Kikyo had stepped up to support her.
To Airi, Kushida carried far more weight.
"Hehe~ So that's it! Don't worry, I won't tell a soul~"
Kushida immediately beamed with a warm smile and stroked Airi's head.
"Just like your idol identity, this is a secret between the two of us."
She had said this to many girls, but Airi found it deeply comforting and nodded, relaxed.
"Airi! Kikyo! What are you two whispering about?"
Hasabe Haruka leaned in, smiling at her two best friends.
"Hehe, nothing~" Kushida replied lightly.
Haruka didn't mind. Since the other girls in the dorm were out, she locked the door and whispered excitedly,
"Actually... Airi and I plan to sneak out to see Kiyoshi-chan tonight! We want him to help massage our shoulders~ Kikyo, what do you think?"
It was almost an instinctive habit—whenever something involved Akira, the first person she wanted to share it with was Kushida.
Airi didn't find it strange either.
Kushida's smile faltered for half a second before becoming even sweeter.
"A massage~ that sounds lovely." She blinked. "But if you both go... won't it be too obvious? It'll be trouble if a teacher catches you."
"That's why we're going separately!" Haruka said. "I'll go first, then Airi will go later. That way we won't draw attention."
"I see..." Kushida nodded thoughtfully. "Then be careful. Don't let anyone see you. Especially Airi—you always walk with your head down, which actually makes you stand out more."
Airi shrunk her neck.
"I-I'll be careful..."
'These two idiots... they're actually going to find Akira?'
Akira's note hadn't mentioned this, and with his personality, he wouldn't hide it from her. So, Airi must have proposed this herself after delivering the note.
'My, quite bold, aren't we?'
Kushida was already wondering how to pull the three of them closer. Now, the opportunity for alone time had delivered itself.
Kushida playfully took Haruka's arm.
"When you're getting massaged... it's okay to do 'strange things,' you know!"
"Wh-what strange things!" Haruka's face went red. "Our shoulders just ache!"
"No jokes, I have a very serious question for you two..." Kushida dropped her smile and looked at them earnestly.
"Which of you actually likes Shimizu-kun more? You're always together—Airi, even when you had a chance to be alone with him last time, why did you have to drag Haruka along? If it comes down to actually dating... which of you would give him up to the other?"
Airi and Haruka exchanged a look; their expressions were complex. This was the question they had been avoiding.
"We'll just let Kiyoshi-chan choose..."
"I... I think I can accept that too."
They hesitated for over ten seconds before giving nearly identical answers. To not hurt their friendship, they would leave the decision to the man.
"Leave it to Shimizu-kun?" Kushida tilted her head.
"But if he chooses one of you, can the other really accept it? For example, if he chooses Haruka..." She looked at Airi.
"Airi, can you really stay friends with Haruka like before? Without a hint of envy? And won't it be awkward when you see him later?"
Airi lowered her head.
"I... I don't know. I'd definitely be very sad... it might really affect my relationship with Haruka..."
Haruka bit her lip, silent for a while before speaking. "Actually... I've thought about this. We have three years left in this closed school. I know how Airi feels, and I know how reliable Akira is... if he only chooses one, the other will probably suffer forever." Her voice dropped. "But feelings... I really can't control them."
Initially, she only wanted to help Airi, but somewhere along the line, she had fallen for him too.
Kushida listened, a mysterious glint in her eyes.
"A very rational decision. But have you thought of another possibility?"
"...?"
"...Why not just have him choose both!"
The air went still. Airi and Haruka's eyes widened.
"Th-that's impossible..." Haruka stammered.
"The school doesn't allow..."
"The school doesn't encourage it, but that's more about dorm management. It's not an explicit school rule." Kushida smiled.
"Look at President Nagumo Miyabi; isn't he always surrounded by girls? The school never interferes."
"If that's the case, doesn't your problem go away?" Kushida clapped her hands lightly.
"You don't have to ruin your friendship, and the three of you can keep living happily."
Airi and Haruka fell silent. The light outside dimmed, and without the lights on, their expressions were blurred in the shadows.
Then, Kushida whispered:
"Actually... not long ago, Shimizu-kun confessed to me too. The two of us have been together for a while."
"What?!" Both were completely stunned.
"Wait... if you're already dating him, why are you... setting us up?"
"Because you truly like him too, don't you?" Kushida's smile held a serene tenderness.
"If I had Akira reject you like that, you'd be sad for a long time... this is a closed school; we have two years left together."
Her gaze softened as it fell on them.
"Didn't we agree to be best friends for life? Since it's you two... I'm willing to share him with you."
Airi and Haruka were utterly floored. Their eyes welled up with tears simultaneously.
'How... how can she be this good...' She was willing to share her boyfriend just to protect their friendship? They were so moved they wanted to cry.
"Of course, I'm just suggesting a possibility." Kushida rubbed her reddened eyes.
"The choice is yours. If you can't accept it, pretend I never said anything. But if it's possible..." She looked at them.
"Maybe we can find a way where no one gets hurt. I want to... stay with you forever."
The dorm fell into silence. The last bit of daylight vanished, leaving only a sliver of hallway light leaking under the door. Haruka moved first. She walked to Kushida and hugged her tightly.
"Stupid Kikyo..." she buried her face in Kushida's shoulder.
"Talking about sharing... won't you be sad yourself?"
Kushida patted her back.
"I will. But more than being sad... I don't want to lose you."
Airi walked over and hugged them from the other side. The three embraced in the dim room. "Thank you..." Airi whispered. "Thank you for being willing to go this far for us."
"Don't thank me," Kushida smiled.
"Because you are... very important to me too."
After the hug, their eyes were red, but the atmosphere was much lighter. Airi looked up.
"I... I was actually very scared. Scared that after being rejected, I'd lose Kikyo, lose Shimizu, and lose Haruka. I was scared I'd have nothing left. But if Akira is willing to accept us... I want to try."
Haruka looked at her and finally gave the first real smile of the night.
"Okay."
Kushida watched their joined hands, a genuine, almost tender smile appearing on her lips.
"So..." Haruka sniffled. "Are we... allies now?"
"Yes." Kushida nodded, smiling. "But this must be a secret. Don't tell anyone else in class."
"Got it!"
"Alright." Kushida checked the time.
"In an hour, it's dinner time. Aren't you going to see him tonight? Be careful."
"You're not coming, Kikyo?" Airi asked.
Kushida blinked.
"I won't... I have to give you some alone time, after all."
In reality, she was practically laughing inside.
'Two little fools... they really believe anything.'
Her real plan was simply to pull these two into Akira's circle. It would make them loyal to him and add some... interesting variety to her own relationship with him.
Her boyfriend did have plenty of energy, after all.
She reached out and ruffled their heads.
"If you're bullied in class or feel wronged, you must tell me or Akira. We'll protect you."
"Mhm! Kikyo really cares about us, I know!"
"By the way, there's an hour before dinner. Let's review what we learned the other day—Haruka, you start."
"Eh?! Why did Kikyo's smile disappear? She's suddenly so strict... is this 'Teacher Mode'?"
"Haruka, study hard," Airi whispered.
"Kikyo... probably just wants to protect us so we don't get expelled."
'Little fools... if you actually get expelled in an exam like this, I'd be very troubled.'
Watching them flip through their books, Kushida's lips curled into a tiny, genuine arc.
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That night at 10:30 PM, Akira arrived at the utility room as promised. The door was slightly ajar, with a faint light peeking through. When he entered, he found two people already there.
"Kiyoshi-chan!" Haruka's eyes lit up as she waved. Airi was sitting next to her; she glanced at him and immediately looked down. Two flashlights sat nearby. The room was small, filled with old desks, sports equipment, and cleaning tools. The air smelled of dust.
"You two... came together?" Akira was surprised.
"We made a deal," Haruka chirped.
"Since we both want massages, we might as well come together to cover for each other."
Akira laughed helplessly and sat on an old mat opposite them.
"Who's first?"
"Airi first!" Haruka gave her a little nudge.
"Her shoulders are extra sore after Zen yesterday; it's all the fault of her chest being too big."
Airi blushed and shuffled in front of Akira, sitting with her back to him. He placed his hands on her shoulders and began to apply pressure.
Her body was stiff at first, but she soon relaxed with a soft hum.
"Does it hurt?"
"No... it feels very good."
Haruka watched, her gaze soft. When it was her turn, she flopped onto the mat.
"Kiyoshi-chan, you can use more force~ I'm very durable!"
"Got it."
The massage continued quietly, save for the rustle of clothes and light breathing. After a few minutes, Haruka suddenly turned her head, her cheeks flushed. She reached out, took his hand, and pressed it against her chest.
"Kiyoshi-chan... I didn't come here just for a massage.
I've actually liked you for a long time. I came here tonight to confess!"
Even through the tracksuit, the soft sensation made Akira freeze.
'This feeling... one hand can't even wrap around it... Wait! A confession?'
"Me too."
Before he could react, Airi took his other hand and pulled it to her own chest. This side too... it was impossible to tell which was superior.
'Wait—' Being led to touch their private areas while being confessed to... what kind of development was this?!
"So, what's your answer?" Haruka pressed.
"I..." Akira took a deep breath.
"Actually, I've been thinking about you two these past few days. Airi, Haruka, I do have feelings for both of you. But if I had to choose, I couldn't pick just one—if I choose, I have to choose both." He paused for several seconds, looking at them seriously.
"And I must be honest, I already have a girlfriend... and I plan to have a harem. I know this might be hard to accept, but—"
"So you agree, right?!"
Haruka ignored the second half, catching only the keyword "choose both." she leaned in excitedly and gave him a loud peck on the cheek.
"Great!"
Airi also leaned in happily and kissed his other cheek.
"Wait! Did you listen to me? I said I want to date both of you, but I already have other girlfriends!"
"We know, we know~" Haruka waved her hand dismissively.
"Kikyo already told us!"
"...Mhm, I know too. I can accept it," Airi added in a small voice.
Akira was speechless for a moment.
'Serious question: Did I save the galaxy in a previous life?'
Only then would he encounter a girlfriend like Kikyo.
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