Tanaka Masao pinched his chin, tilted his head, and asked Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Is it a date?"
Yukinoshita Yukino's answer was very calm.
"Just a casual outing."
Tanaka Masao said to Fujiwara Chika with a hint of helplessness.
"That's how it is."
Shinomiya Kaguya narrowed her eyes and thought to herself.
[You two, only a fool would believe this isn't a date.
But looking at their relationship, it's clear that this girl named Yukinoshita holds the absolute dominant position.
I can learn from her the art of managing men.]
Just as Shinomiya Kaguya was thinking this, a silly voice rang out.
"Oh, so it's not a date? I thought you two were a couple."
Fujiwara Chika was visibly disappointed.
[Oh no, no romance gossip for me.]
The little person in Shinomiya Kaguya's heart opened its mouth wide, looking at Fujiwara Chika, unsure whether she was truly foolish or just pretending.
[Huh, no, you actually believe that?]
"Then it shouldn't be a bother if we join, right?"
Fujiwara Chika once again extended the invitation for a group outing.
Tanaka Masao looked at Yukinoshita Yukino, seeking her opinion.
Although not good at socializing, Yukinoshita Yukino wasn't incapable of it. Seeing Tanaka Masao's questioning gaze, she spoke.
"I don't mind. You can decide."
Tanaka Masao nodded.
"Well, in that case, Fujiwara-senpai, if you don't mind, let's go together."
"Yay!"
Though they said they were going together, in reality, the group just gathered to watch the pandas.
Tanaka Masao stood in the middle, with Yukinoshita Yukino and Kashi on his left, and Fujiwara Chika and Shinomiya Kaguya's group on his right.
Surrounded by six beautiful girls, Tanaka Masao felt like every breath of air was sweet. His mind suddenly cleared, and he realized.
[The way I'm surrounded by beautiful girls right now, isn't it just like an anime protagonist?]
Even though he had only met half of them for the first time and hadn't even exchanged many words, this didn't stop Tanaka Masao from feeling a sense of accomplishment.
[Hmm, no, according to this situation, when several female characters get together, shouldn't they be fighting over him, secretly competing, and causing a bloodbath...
Or just go all out and chop me up with a cleaver?]
Tanaka Masao looked at the two people next to him; although it wasn't lively, they seemed to be getting along well.
[Could it be because...
I am the fated harem protagonist!]
As for the fact that Yukinoshita Yukino and Fujiwara Chika had no romantic feelings for Tanaka Masao, and therefore wouldn't feel jealous if other girls appeared by his side, Tanaka Masao didn't consider this at all.
[Are you kidding? Who is Tanaka Masao? Yukinoshita Yukino's only friend, who goes home with her every day.
Fujiwara Chika's 'cute junior,' who she thinks about constantly and chats with every day.
How could I be so uncharming?
Ah, I'm kind of looking forward to being chopped up with a cleaver, what's wrong with that?]
The more Tanaka Masao thought about it, the more excited and thrilled he became, barely able to suppress the rising corners of his mouth.
Just as he was about to flash his characteristic honest (perverted) smile, a voice successfully interrupted his 'spellcasting'.
Fujiwara Chika leaned over and asked.
"Junior Tanaka and Yukinoshita Classmate are classmates?"
"We're from the same school."
"Not the same class?"
Fujiwara Chika had become quite sharp at this moment, catching the meaning in Tanaka Masao's words.
"No."
"Then how did you two meet?"
As soon as Fujiwara Chika opened her mouth, she suddenly thought of something and quickly held up her hand to stop Tanaka Masao from speaking.
"Wait, don't say it yet, let me guess."
Tanaka Masao was a bit puzzled.
"What's there to guess about?"
"Compared to getting the answer directly, an answer obtained through one's own deduction is much better."
"Then you guess."
Tanaka Masao didn't care; after all, it was Fujiwara Chika's brain cells being consumed, and he didn't feel bad about it. He was also a bit curious about what answer Fujiwara Chika would come up with.
Yukinoshita Yukino, hearing that the topic was about herself, also turned her gaze over.
Fujiwara Chika pinched her chin with her left hand and supported her elbow with her right, striking the classic pose of a detective in thought.
"It must be that classic, fated corridor corner.
Because they were in a hurry, the two walked quickly, then bumped into each other at the corner, and from then on, a story began."
Tanaka Masao shook his head, "Incorrect."
Yukinoshita Yukino couldn't help but imagine that scene and also agreed.
"If Tanaka-kin bumped into someone, it wouldn't be a story, but an accident."
Hearing this, Fujiwara Chika glanced at Tanaka Masao's physique and nodded. Tall and stout, if he bumped into someone...
It would be a concussion even if there wasn't a fracture.
Watching the two of them going back and forth, Tanaka Masao was quite speechless.
"Hey, hey, don't make me sound like a human tank."
Fujiwara Chika continued to analyze another possibility.
"Then it's that, Yukinoshita Classmate's handkerchief fell to the ground, and Junior Tanaka picked it up and returned it, starting a fated encounter."
"Handkerchief picked up by Tanaka-kin?"
Yukinoshita Yukino seriously considered this possibility, then came to a conclusion.
"I feel like if the handkerchief was picked up by Tanaka-kin, it wouldn't be returned."
"That's true. Junior Tanaka, don't do anything strange to the handkerchief, okay?"
Fujiwara Chika admonished him earnestly.
Seeing the two of them reach a consensus on something, Tanaka Masao was very indignant and retorted.
"Hey, hey, don't reach such a tacit consensus on such strange things.
And how can you think of me like that? Am I really that untrustworthy?
Why don't you throw your handkerchief on the ground and see how I actually handle it."
Yukinoshita Yukino covered her pocket, looking a bit scared as she said.
"Sorry, I can't let my handkerchief take that risk."
Fujiwara Chika's eyes darted around, looking guilty and lying.
"Junior Tanaka, do you believe me if I say I didn't bring a handkerchief today?"
"I don't believe you for a second, Fujiwara-senpai is very tricky..."
[They guessed really accurately.]
Tanaka Masao: I hid it so well, how did those two guess my deepest thoughts?
But it's just a handkerchief. Even if I really got it, I... I would definitely... return... return it...
Probably.
But before anyone notices...