The sports day, one of the big three events of the fall, finally came to an end.
And what hit the students, who had become somewhat complacent with the continuous school events, was the midterm exams of the second semester.
It’s true that the second semester was filled with various events, leaving relatively less time to study compared to the first semester.
However, since the students had taken this into account when organizing the events, no one complained about the tight academic schedule.
So, after a hectic week of studying for exams, the midterms finally began.
The subjects on the first day were Korean and History.
As someone originally from the science track, these were the subjects I found most challenging, so I boldly invested the entire weekend into studying for them.
Fortunately, perhaps because the teachers took into account the short study period, the exam questions were easier than I expected, making them manageable.
Of course, if the midterms were this easy, the finals would probably be extremely difficult, but that’s a problem for future me.
“Darn! I knew I should’ve gone with number 3!”After the first day’s exams were over, Satoru, who was checking his answers for the History subject by comparing them with mine, lamented over a question he missed.
“Quiet down, Momochi.”
But with just one word from the Class President, who was checking her answers with us, Satoru closed his mouth with a sheepish expression.
Hmm, I understand that feeling.
Ayase during exam season is scary.
After cross-checking our answers, my final score in History came out to be 97 points.
I could’ve gotten a perfect score, but I missed one question.
“As expected, this guy really doesn’t match his appearance.”
Satoru’s rude remark as he looked over my test paper made me raise an eyebrow, but I didn’t bother to respond.
The fact that I’m good at studying despite my appearance isn’t a rumor; it’s a solid fact.
Meanwhile, the Class President, who got a perfect score, quietly clenched her fist.
Ayase, who is as ambitious about her studies as she is about streaming, seemed quite pleased to have beaten me, the top student in the grade, in terms of score.
At that moment, Rika, who was a million light years away from the studying atmosphere, seemed delighted that school ended early and said as she slung her bag over her shoulder.
“Ryu-chan! I have plans, so I’ll head out first! See you tomorrow!”
“Uh, yeah. Take care.”
Rika waved cheerfully to us as she left the classroom.
I watched Rika’s retreating figure with a bittersweet feeling.
After the sports day, when we all went to karaoke, Rika told me.
She asked me to treat her the same as before.
After hearing that request, I consciously tried to act the way I used to.
As a result, the distance between Rika and me narrowed, just like before.
As if nothing had ever happened between us.
But knowing that this fragile friendship could collapse at any moment like a sandcastle, I couldn’t help but feel anxious.
After all, Rika is one of the most important people to me.
Not as ‘Kim Yu-seong,’ the Korean-Japanese, but as one of the most crucial elements that define my identity as a person.
Ayase, who had been quietly watching Rika and me talk, asked.
“Did you two have a fight or something? You haven’t been hanging out together lately.”
“Fight? No way. Rika’s just been a bit busy, that’s all.”
“Reeeally~?”
Ayase trailed off, narrowing her eyes and staring at me intently.
It was obvious she was interrogating me, but I pretended not to notice and looked away.
“Well, I’ll let it slide.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Ayase patted my head and picked up her bag from beside the desk.
“Then I’ll head out too. Study well for tomorrow’s exam.”
“Yeah, take care.”
After seeing Ayase off, I got up from my desk to head home, but then I remembered something my mother asked me to do this morning.
‘Come to think of it, she mentioned there’s a time sale today.’
I should stop by the supermarket on my way home.
At that time.
At a traditional teahouse in downtown Tokyo.
In a tatami room, completely isolated from the outside to protect customers’ privacy, sat the Student Council President, Saionji Kumiko, in a formal seated position.
“Miss, your guest has arrived.”
“Let them in.”
With her permission, the shoji door opened carefully.
The person who appeared beyond it was Kishimoto Rika, who had come to the teahouse by taxi right after the exams.
“It’s been a while.”
Saionji greeted her with a smile, but Rika, who usually always smiled, gave a slight nod instead with a serious expression.
“Please, come inside.”
Following Saionji Kumiko’s gesture, Rika took off her shoes and entered the room, then flinched in surprise.
And no wonder, since there was already another guest in the room.
“…Rika.”
“So, you were the last one.”
They were all familiar faces.
One was Tojo Karen, one of her closest friends, and the other was Sasha, a classmate but also someone she was somewhat antagonistic towards.
With a composed expression, Rika asked Kumiko, who was seated at the head of the table.
“Why are these two here?”
In response, Kumiko brought the dark brown teacup to her lips and said.
“We’re here to make the same proposal we made to you before.”
“…Could it be?”
Sasha, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, spoke up.
“A proposal? What proposal are you talking about? Why did you gather us all here?”
“I was just about to explain.”
Clap.
In the tense atmosphere of the small room, Kumiko suddenly dropped a bombshell.
“Let me introduce myself again. My name is Saionji Kumiko—78th student council president of the prestigious Ichijo Academy and currently Kim Yu-seong’s girlfriend.”
Kim Yu-seong’s girlfriend.
The aftermath of that one statement was intense.
“Wh-wh-what?!”
“…Did you call me here to mock me?”
Karen looked as if her soul had left her body, while Sasha glared at Kumiko with a cold, angry expression.
Although Kumiko was part of a conglomerate family deeply connected to the underworld, she was basically an ordinary person, so she couldn’t help but turn pale under Sasha’s icy gaze.
The one who spoke up for Kumiko was Minami, who had been standing quietly in the corner, erasing her presence.
“The young lady didn’t gather you here with such intentions. Please calm your anger.”
Sasha clicked her tongue in annoyance at Minami, who was taking the brunt of her hostility, then shifted to a more comfortable position and said.
“I don’t know what nonsense you’re about to spout, but I’ll listen for now.”
“…Thank you.”
As Minami stepped back with a slight bow, Kumiko gathered her composure and spoke confidently.
“First of all, I didn’t gather you here just to announce that I’ve become Yu-seong’s girlfriend.”
“Then what?”
“Rather, I called you here to give you a fair chance, even though you lost in the competition.”
As she said this, Kumiko calmly clapped her hands.
Then, from behind a folding screen that had been thought to be part of the decor, Minami brought out a whiteboard that had been prepared in advance.
On the whiteboard were dozens of photos, with black notes densely written underneath.
It was the final legacy left behind by Shinji before he left the school after being disciplined by his family.
Just before speaking again, Kumiko steadied herself by recalling Shinji’s face and finally said.
“Ladies, won’t you join me in creating a harem for Yu-seong?”
Harem.
There wasn’t a single person in the room who didn’t know what that word meant.
“Harem? What’s that?”
Well, except for Karen, who was more naive than she thought.
“Just look it up yourself, idiot.”
Sasha, who knew even as a foreigner, sighed slightly as she chided Karen for not knowing despite being a native.
“A harem in modern Japan? You’re making a pretty bad joke, President.”
“Why do you think it’s a joke?”
With a cold gaze, Sasha looked Kumiko directly in the eye and said.
“In modern Japan, bigamy is illegal by law. Even as a foreigner who doesn’t know much about the world, I know at least that much.”
“What?! Wait! A harem means a man having multiple wives and concubines?!”
“Seriously?”
Thinking that Karen, who was blushing after checking the search results, kept ruining the serious mood, Sasha muttered under her breath before directly asking Kumiko.
“So, what’s your real intention behind bringing up the idea of a harem? Even if you go through with it, there’s no benefit to you. Unless you have that kind of… inclination.”
“How rude!”
“Stay calm, Minami.”
Minami, who was behind her, was about to step forward in anger, but Kumiko stopped her with one hand and answered with her eyes closed.
“First of all, yes, I do intend to involve you because of a sexual issue.”
“What?”
Sasha’s expression turned blank in shock at Kumiko’s unexpected answer.
She had heard that Kumiko became his girlfriend, but she never thought that Kim Yu-seong, who was so inexperienced, would have progressed that far.
In that state, Kumiko honestly revealed her vulnerability.
“It’s embarrassing, but I can’t handle Yu-seong’s sexual desires alone. That’s why I need your help.”
“Please, would you join me in becoming Yu-seong’s brides?”
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