Truth be told, Kaoru felt these days were a mix of pleasure and suffering.
The girls willingly invested time and energy into their dress-up game, experimenting with various styles like chirping little birds, utterly absorbed without considering Kaoru's feelings.
Of course, it wasn't pure torture.
Seeing the two girls in outfits different from their usual wear was refreshing.
Like the skin-tight jeans that perfectly outlined Ichinose's plump thighs and even revealed her perky round bottom, paired with a crop top that exposed her pale, soft stomach right before Kaoru's eyes.
This bold styling clearly wasn't her own choice—Karuizawa had pushed the blushing girl out of the fitting room, obviously the instigator.
Kaoru lamented that this was summer fashion.
However, even if summer arrived, Ichinose Honami would probably never wear such clothes—they were too revealing of her figure for her taste.
Karuizawa Kei, on the other hand, wanted to pair shorts with a crop top.
In her imagination, this was the quintessential summer style for a hot girl, ideally tanned to a wheatish complexion on a sun-drenched beach.
After they finished trying on clothes, Kaoru noticed them heading toward the lingerie section.
He was considering whether to follow when they promptly shooed him out of the store.
How strange—he could watch them try on regular clothes, but lingerie was off-limits?
Standing idle outside the store entrance, Kaoru watched the mall's bustling crowd.
Someone recognized him and excitedly waved hello.
Ever since he'd stopped hiding his abilities, more people had come to believe he possessed supernatural powers—hypnosis, for instance.
Some boys already regarded him as a deity rather than just some Harem Overlord.
Rumors spread like wildfire, reminiscent of the media scrutiny he'd faced before.
Shūkan Bunshun even claimed to have exposed him as an evil sorcerer who enslaved the souls of composers like Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin to write music for him.
They alleged he'd made backroom deals with the president of a certain talent agency, forcing idols to perform with questionable props and privately bullying junior idols.
If a heavyweight magazine could fabricate such absurd rumors, one could only imagine what lesser outlets were circulating.
"Feeling down?"
At some point, Karuizawa Kei had quietly appeared behind him.
"Not really. Are you done trying things on?"
Kaoru didn't see Ichinose Honami emerge—only Kei stood there elegantly beside him.
"Almost. It's mainly Honami-chan who wants to buy lingerie."
Kei walked over to the railing, overlooking the first-floor hall below and watching the escalators trace their paths up and down.
"Sorry for making you accompany us shopping when you've been so busy lately. I suddenly feel a bit guilty."
"Actually, I'd planned to spend the whole day with you."
Ignoring their surroundings, Kaoru took her small hand in his. "Tomorrow's your birthday—is there anything you want?"
"Eh, so direct?" Kei blushed slightly but didn't pull her hand away, instead tightening her grip quietly.
Kaoru nodded. "Birthdays are for granting wishes. Whatever you want, I'll make it happen."
Though he'd been granting quite a few wishes lately, with some people less than cooperative.
"Grant wishes... No way..."
Kei first muttered his words softly, then pouted at him. "There's no way you could fulfill my wish."
"Keep underestimating your boyfriend, and you're done for."
Kaoru felt slightly irritated. He was, after all, a professional—if he couldn't fulfill a mere girl's wish, he might as well resign.
Unexpectedly, Kei burst into giggles, her shoulders shaking like a amused little white duck quacking mockingly at her boyfriend.
"Is it that funny?"
Kaoru grumbled.
Stifling her laughter, Kei managed between breaths, "N-no, it's just... There's no way Kaoru could ever do it, hahaha..."
"How would I know if I can do it if you don't tell me?"
Kaoru already had an inkling but stubbornly pressed the point.
Kei stopped laughing and gazed at him quietly for a moment before whispering.
"Be with me, only with me, just the two of us."
He couldn't do it.
It was already impossible, and it had been from the very start—he couldn't meet her demand.
Not just this girl before him, but Kaorubelieved that even Ichinose Honami harbored similar thoughts in her heart.
It was human nature—when you fall for someone, you instinctively want to possess them.
No one could escape this selfish instinct.
Kei Karuizawa knew all too well that Kaoru couldn't answer.
She had held onto a sliver of hope initially, but the moment he fell silent, she too quieted down.
"My second wish."
A faint smile touched Kei Karuizawa's lips, though her eyes held a plea, "Please take responsibility for me, for my entire life."
"No, let me add a little more to that."
Kaorusaid, "I'll make you genuinely happy and joyful. That's my life's goal."
"In others' eyes, our relationship might seem twisted, you know?"
Kei Karuizawa murmured, "I've completely given up on thinking. My dream is actually just to be a proper full-time housewife."
"At this point, am I the one convincing you, or are you convincing me?"
Kaorudidn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Kei Karuizawa was essentially telling him, "Here's a foolishly adorable girl, free for the taking, ready to marry anytime—come quick!"
"I... I'm a little afraid you'll leave me. There are many women around you, and I don't seem to have anything particularly noteworthy to catch your attention."
Kei Karuizawa fell silent for a brief moment, unconsciously touching her stomach.
"You saw Honami's belly earlier, right? I can't wear clothes like that."
Aside from her scheme against Ichinose Honami, Kei Karuizawa also felt a twinge of envy that Honami could wear such outfits.
Moreover, her first encounter with Kaoruhadn't been pleasant, so it was no surprise she felt this insecurity.
"I don't care, and I never said I didn't have a solution."
Kaoru chuckled, "Since Kei doubts me, I'll confess to you every day then."
Kei Karuizawa was pondering the meaning of his earlier words when she heard the latter part about confessing.
She let out a soft "Eh?", her small head sprouting a giant question mark.
"I like you, Kei." Kaoru said, "Maybe no one believes a lecher could have sincere feelings, but I believe that right now, at this moment, this lecher has feelings of affection for you. I like you."
The question mark vanished, replaced by steam practically rising from Kei Karuizawa's head.
Her face flushed bright red, and she stared at Kaoru in a fluster.
With her small hand trapped in his, she had no room to evade or escape.
She could only stand there, utterly exposed, absorbing the impact of his words.
It felt like the heart-pounding thrill of a first confession, leaving her momentarily dazed.
Looking at Kaoru's face, the first thought that popped into her mind was to kiss him!
Aside from kissing him, Kei Karuizawa couldn't think of any other response.
"Smack, smack! Hurry up and kiss him!"
Kei Karuizawa's expression froze.
She turned her head dazedly to see Ichinose Honami cheering her on, having been eavesdropping for who knows how long.