Shikime Natsu hadn't expected that someone with Yamamura Miki's personality would actually ask a question like this.
His gaze fell on Yamamura Miki's flushed little face, those pale golden eyes carrying a hint of surprise.
Feeling Shikime Natsu's gaze upon her, Yamamura Miki grew even more nervous.
Her body curled in slightly, as though she wished she could hide herself away. Now that Shikime Natsu had heard her ask such a question—would he end up disliking her because of it?
If he really did come to dislike her because of it...
Yamamura Miki felt as though her life would lose its light, because Shikime Natsu had been the very first person to notice her beside that vending machine. To her, Shikime Natsu carried a rather important meaning.
And precisely because Shikime Natsu was so important to her, there was still a trace of fear in Yamamura Miki's heart—because she was so terribly insecure, and for other reasons besides...
Meanwhile, hidden in a corner outside the café, Morishita Ai was also keeping a close watch on every move inside.
Her body leaned slightly forward, her head poking out from behind a pillar, those beautiful eyes fixed intently on the scene within the café.
When she heard Yamamura Miki ask that question—"how many more girlfriends are you planning to find"—her little mouth fell slightly open, and a rather shocked expression crossed her face.
She truly hadn't imagined that someone with Yamamura Miki's personality would actually dare to say such a thing.
Morishita Ai had originally thought that if she wanted to help Yamamura Miki make her move, she'd have to secretly haul Yamamura Miki into Shikime Natsu's bed.
After all, Yamamura Miki was simply far too shy, far too passive.
If no one gave her a push, she might never confess on her own for the rest of her life.
But now, Yamamura Miki had actually taken the initiative to ask such a question.
Though it wasn't a direct confession, a question like this was already a rather obvious signal in itself.
Thinking this over in her heart, Morishita Ai couldn't help but feel that the efforts she'd made earlier hadn't gone to waste.
Good thing she'd kept nagging away at Yamamura Miki's side—so it seemed Yamamura Miki had finally taken it to heart.
Of course, Morishita Ai could also have asked Shikime Natsu herself and then told Yamamura Miki the answer.
But that would have a different effect than Yamamura Miki asking on her own initiative.
It was the same as back when she'd gone to the Deserted Island of her own accord and directly did it with Shikime Natsu.
At the very least, you had to let the person you wanted to help know what it was they truly wanted.
Even if Yamamura Miki hadn't spelled it out clearly, as long as she'd gone and asked Shikime Natsu, then at the very least it would give Shikime Natsu a hint—a hint that she was interested in him.
That way, Shikime Natsu would pay a little more attention.
And Morishita Ai understood all too well just how important that little bit of extra attention could be.
Quantitative change gives rise to qualitative change, as they say.
As long as Shikime Natsu took notice of Yamamura Miki, as long as Yamamura Miki kept appearing before him, then the relationship between the two of them would slowly begin to change.
Thinking this over in her heart, Morishita Ai's lips curved slightly upward, revealing a satisfied smile.
Then her gaze returned to the interior of the café, waiting for Shikime Natsu's answer.
Inside the café.
Shikime Natsu looked at Yamamura Miki and fell silent for a moment.
Then, he gave a soft little smile.
There was a hint of gentleness in that smile.
Shikime Natsu looked at Yamamura Miki, those pale golden eyes glimmering with light.
"I won't fail any girl I like, and who likes me in return."
Every word of this declaration from Shikime Natsu was crystal clear.
"That is my answer."
And after Yamamura Miki heard this answer from Shikime Natsu, her eyes widened slightly, those deep teal eyes carrying a trace of surprise, a trace of emotion, and a trace of something she couldn't quite put into words.
A flush of rosy color quickly rose to the girl's soft, fair cheeks. There was no telling what the girl was thinking, but though her heart was still racing, the tension and unease within her slowly melted away, replaced by a warm feeling deep inside.
Himeno Yuki, seated off to the side, couldn't help but be a little stunned upon hearing these words from Shikime Natsu.
Her gaze fell onto Shikime Natsu's face, those dead fish eyes carrying a hint of surprise.
This guy... really does have a way with words.
"I won't fail any girl I like, and who likes me in return."
To not fail someone—for a girl, that was a rather extraordinary promise. It meant responsibility. If Shikime Natsu could actually live up to it, then that was perfect. But if Shikime Natsu was merely paying lip service, then he was truly a scumbag.
Himeno Yuki's gaze fell upon Shikime Natsu. This guy really could just casually spout scumbag pickup lines.
Thinking this over in her heart, Himeno Yuki lowered her head slightly, her gaze falling on the dessert in front of her.
At some point, a faint blush had crept onto her face.
Her mood had grown all the more complicated.
And hidden outside the café, Morishita Ai couldn't help but nod after hearing these words from Shikime Natsu.
A satisfied smile appeared on her face, those beautiful eyes carrying a trace of pride.
Just as expected of the man she'd set her sights on.
He really knew how to speak with class.
Thinking this over in her heart, Morishita Ai continued to hide behind the pillar, observing the goings-on inside the café.
Yamamura Miki drew a deep breath, doing her best to calm herself, then lifted her head to look at Shikime Natsu.
"So... that's how it is..."
"I... I understand now..."
Yamamura Miki nodded, and the expression on her face grew even gentler.
Seeing her like this, Shikime Natsu gave a soft little smile and said nothing more.
Himeno Yuki, seated off to the side, watched Yamamura Miki and couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled.
Yamamura Miki... understood what, exactly?
The thought flashed through her mind, but she didn't voice it aloud.
After all, this was a matter between Yamamura Miki and Shikime Natsu. As an outsider, it wasn't her place to butt in.
Still... Himeno Yuki thought this over in her heart, then lowered her head again, looking at the dessert in front of her.
In her heart, she too had begun to weigh a few things.
Those words Shikime Natsu had spoken—"I won't fail any girl I like, and who likes me in return."
That line was easy to say, but not easy to live up to.
Especially since Shikime Natsu already had seven girlfriends.
And, judging by the answer he'd just given, it meant he wasn't opposed to continuing to increase the number of his girlfriends.
So then, a problem arose.
Time was always a problem.
Shikime Natsu was only one person, and a day had only twenty-four hours.
He needed to attend class, needed to study, needed to handle all sorts of matters, and in the future he'd need to work as well.
How much time could be left over after that?
Dividing that time among seven girlfriends was already a rather difficult undertaking.
And if he added even more...
Thinking this over in her heart, Himeno Yuki couldn't help but knit her brows slightly.
But then a different thought struck her, and she considered another possibility.
Shikime Natsu's solution could actually be quite simple.
That is, to do exactly as he was doing now—having several girlfriends together at once.
For instance, this very afternoon, Shikime Natsu was spending time with two girls simultaneously. Though she and Shikime Natsu weren't that sort of relationship, if it had been his girlfriends instead, then he could accompany several people at once.
That way, the efficiency of his time usage would be much higher.
Thinking this over in her heart, Himeno Yuki then thought of another problem.
Aside from the matter of time, there was also the factor of the future.
If Shikime Natsu intended to marry that many people, then money would surely be no small concern.
After all, supporting a whole big household was no easy task.
Though Shikime Natsu was very wealthy now, no one could say for certain what the future would hold.
Thinking this over in her heart, Himeno Yuki then shook her head.
What am I even thinking about?
What does any of this have to do with me?
I'm not Shikime Natsu's girlfriend, nor anyone of his.
Whether he had the time, whether he had the money—none of it had anything to do with Himeno Yuki.
And yet...
Himeno Yuki continued to think it over in her heart.
If—and this is just hypothetically speaking—
if she were Shikime Natsu's girlfriend, she absolutely would not want to be a kept woman.
If she really were Shikime Natsu's girlfriend, then she would definitely choose to shoulder her own share of the responsibility.
Being a kept woman was something fine to talk about and nothing more.
If it actually came to putting it into practice, Himeno Yuki figured she wouldn't be able to do it.
No, wait—she wasn't that guy Shikime Natsu's girlfriend at all; she was merely using it as an example.
How had such a dreadful thought even surfaced in her mind?
Himeno Yuki simply couldn't understand it.
Could it be...
that she cared about Shikime Natsu too?
The moment this notion appeared, Himeno Yuki gave herself a fright.
She hurriedly shook her head, flinging this terrifying thought out of her mind.
Impossible—absolutely impossible.
How could she possibly care about that guy?
That guy who only knew how to spout sweet nothings, with his rotten personality, so infuriating...
Himeno Yuki thought this over in her heart, but for some reason, her heartbeat had quickened just a little.
And on her face, too, an almost imperceptible blush had emerged.
She didn't notice these changes.
Or rather, she didn't want to notice them.
Just as Himeno Yuki was lost in her wild musings, Yamamura Miki's gaze once again fell upon Shikime Natsu.
Her lips moved slightly, as though she wanted to say something.
But then, she didn't know what to say.
What she wanted to ask was: so then, what kind of girl counted as the kind of girl he liked?
But a question like that—she simply couldn't bring herself to voice it.
After all, the previous question had already been bold enough.
If she asked this question on top of it, it would basically amount to asking, "So, do I count as your type?"
That would essentially be a confession.
Thinking this over in her heart, Yamamura Miki's expression grew even more conflicted.
Her lips parted and closed, closed and parted, over and over several times, yet she never once made a sound.
At the crucial moment, she hesitated once again.
Yamamura Miki felt vexed at herself for this lack of courage.
She bit her lip, and a flicker of reluctance crossed those deep teal eyes.
But still, she didn't say it out loud.
Because there was still a Himeno Yuki right beside her.
Though Himeno Yuki didn't seem like the type to go around blabbing, in a matter like this, having one more person present was inconvenient no matter what.
If she were alone together with Shikime Natsu, Yamamura Miki felt she might have a bit more courage.
But now, there was still a Himeno Yuki beside her.
And not far behind, there was probably still a Morishita Ai watching the situation here at any moment.
At this thought, Yamamura Miki couldn't help but let out a mournful cry in her heart.
Once this whole thing was over, she could already imagine exactly how Morishita Ai would tease her.
"Oh my, Yamamura Miki, you finally took the initiative!"
"I thought you'd never dare to ask for the rest of your life!"
"But your question wasn't direct enough—you should've just asked 'do you like me' straight out!"
Morishita Ai's voice seemed to already be ringing in her ears.
At this thought, Yamamura Miki grew all the more dejected.
She shrank her neck in, looking for all the world like a little kitten that had been wronged.
She knew in her heart that, in fact, if she were truly worried, truly too timid, she could also ask Morishita Ai to go sound out Shikime Natsu for her.
To ensure she had a good enough chance of success before making her move.
And Morishita Ai had once asked Yamamura Miki whether she wanted help confirming Shikime Natsu's feelings.
At the time, Yamamura Miki had refused.
Because she understood in her heart that a thing like romance, in the end, couldn't be entrusted to others.
She wanted to confirm it herself—to confirm Shikime Natsu's feelings toward her herself, to confirm for herself whether she mattered to Shikime Natsu.
If she had to rely on someone else's hand even for a thing like this, then what kind of liking for him would that even be?
Yamamura Miki thought this over in her heart, then drew a deep breath.
She told herself not to rush.
Take it slow.
Advance gradually.
One day, she would have enough courage to say the words she truly wished to say.
Now was not yet the time.
Ugh... at the very least, before graduation, I absolutely have to make my feelings known!
Yamamura Miki thought this over in her heart, then lifted her head and looked at Shikime Natsu once more.
There was still a trace of blush on her face, but her expression had grown far calmer than before.
"Shiki-san..."
she said in a small voice.
"Hm?"
Shikime Natsu looked at her, those pale golden eyes carrying a hint of gentleness.
"Um..."
Yamamura Miki paused, then continued.
"Thank you... for treating us to dessert today..."
As she spoke, her lips curved slightly upward, revealing a faint little smile.
"You're welcome."
Shikime Natsu smiled, then turned his head to look at Himeno Yuki.
"And you, Himeno-san? Was it to your satisfaction?"
Hearing this question, Himeno Yuki lifted her head, those dead fish eyes meeting Shikime Natsu's gaze.
"It was alright."
She answered curtly, then lowered her head again and continued eating the dessert in front of her.
Seeing her like this, Shikime Natsu didn't say much—he merely smiled.
The three of them went on sitting like this for a while.
Eating dessert while chatting about this and that.
The atmosphere, at least, had grown considerably more relaxed than before.
After some time had passed, the desserts were finally finished.
Yamamura Miki set down her little fork, pressed her palms together, and softly murmured, "Thank you for the meal."
Himeno Yuki also set down her fork and picked up a napkin to dab at the corners of her mouth.
Shikime Natsu looked at the two girls, then spoke up.
"How about it? Would you like to order a bit more?"
"No need, I'm already very full."
Yamamura Miki shook her head, speaking softly.
"Same here."
Himeno Yuki shook her head as well.
"Alright then."
Shikime Natsu nodded, then rose to his feet.
"Then let's get going."
The two girls stood up as well, following behind Shikime Natsu as they made their way toward the café's entrance.
The three of them walked out of the café, standing on a path outside the door, then came to a stop off to one side.
"Well then... I'll be heading back first."
Yamamura Miki looked at Shikime Natsu and spoke softly.
"Sure."
Shikime Natsu nodded.
Yamamura Miki glanced at Himeno Yuki again and spoke up.
"Himeno-san, it was very nice to meet you today."
"Mm."
Himeno Yuki nodded, which counted as a reply.
Yamamura Miki drew a deep breath, then turned around, stepped forward, and walked off into the distance.
Her retreating figure soon vanished into the crowd.
Himeno Yuki looked in the direction Yamamura Miki had left and fell silent for a moment.
Then she too turned her head and looked at Shikime Natsu.
"I'm off as well."
She spoke up, her tone still carrying that same faint, indifferent cadence.
"Sure."
Shikime Natsu nodded, then looked at her.
"Himeno-san, I had a lot of fun chatting with you today."
Hearing this, Himeno Yuki's body stiffened slightly.
"Mm."
She nodded, then turned around, stepped forward, and walked off in another direction.
Her pace was quick, as though she were fleeing from something.
Shikime Natsu watched her retreating figure and gave a soft little smile, saying nothing more.
Only after Himeno Yuki's figure had also vanished at the far end of the corridor did he slowly speak up.
"Ai, you can come out now."
The words had scarcely left his mouth when a figure stepped out from behind the pillar outside the café.
A slender-figured girl with a head of beautiful purple hair, fair skin, and delicate features quickly came to Shikime Natsu's side.
Morishita Ai walked up beside Shikime Natsu, those beautiful eyes carrying a trace of pride as she planted her hands on her hips.
"Natsu, did you see the great Miss Morishita's efforts? Yamamura Miki just asked one heck of a question back there."
Morishita Ai's expression looked rather smug, her gaze brimming with self-satisfaction, wearing the air of someone who'd earned a merit and now expected Shikime Natsu to praise her properly.
"When it comes to Natsu's harem plan, the great Miss Morishita is a major contributor, and a major contributor deserves a reward!"
As she said this, Morishita Ai stretched out her hand toward Shikime Natsu, as though wanting something.
"Don't just go blurting out things like that in a place like this."
Hearing Morishita Ai openly mention some harem plan right here—if there had been quite a lot of people around, then Shikime Natsu might have had to endure all sorts of strange looks. Talk about harboring ill intentions.
After that, Shikime Natsu fished a piece of candy out of his pocket and placed it in Morishita Ai's hand.
"You think one piece of candy is enough to fob me off?"
Morishita Ai looked at Shikime Natsu, those purple eyes full of disbelief. Was this how Shikime Natsu treated a major contributor?
"One piece of candy isn't enough?"
"Of course it's not enough!"
Morishita Ai crossed her arms over her chest, puffing up her cheeks as she glared at Shikime Natsu.
"Fine then, but I really don't have anything else on me. If you want more, Ai, come with me to the dorm."
Shikime Natsu spoke with a faint smile hanging on his face.
"That's more like it—and if I'm not satisfied, I'm going to file a complaint against you!"
That cute little face of Morishita Ai's was already covered in a blush, yet she still refused to back down verbally.
"Then come with me."
____
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