After Becoming a Counselor for Girls, I Ended Up Producing a Lot of Potential Girlfriends Who Became Mentally Ill - Chapter 32-33

Chapter 32: The Neighbor’s Grass

Kotomi mentioned wanting to meet the other potential girlfriends.

What would happen if she actually met Kujo and Shizuku?

It’s nothing but a cause for concern. There’s also Sasamoto, a shared “bomb” connected to Kujo, and the dynamics with Shizuku remain unclear. It’s hard to predict the kind of unexpected reactions that might arise.

“So, about meeting the other girls,” I said.

“Is that not okay?” Kotomi asked.

“We can consider it after the winter break,” I replied.

“No problem! Adjusting things in just a few days wouldn’t be realistic anyway. Besides, I and the other girls would need time to prepare ourselves, right?”

What kind of “preparations” they might make or what sort of battles could unfold—I decided not to think too much about it. The thought alone was terrifying.

“Let’s keep that for later. For now, let’s focus on today.”

“Today’s plan, then. Do you have anything in mind, Yasuda?”

“I’ll leave it to you. Sorry if it feels irresponsible.”

“You’re absolutely right about that. Let’s just get through everything I’ve planned for today!”

“You’re so energetic.”

“I made sure to get over twelve hours of sleep just for this day!”

Her enthusiasm was remarkable. She was bursting with energy.

I could only hope Kotomi wouldn’t suddenly tire out midway, like Shizuku tends to do.

“Well then, let’s head out as soon as we finish eating.”

“Of course!”

Thanks to Kotomi shelving my indecisive attitude, we were able to move on. I felt relieved.

After finishing our meal, we promptly returned to the amusement facility.

We went through darts, karaoke, billiards—pretty much everything the place had to offer.

Kotomi was quite skilled at all of it. When it came to darts and billiards, I practically ended up being taught by her.

“How are you so good at all these things?” I asked during a round of darts.

“Because I’ve tried a lot of different things,” Kotomi replied, aiming at the target.

“Is that supposed to be an answer?”

“It is, in its way.”

After dodging the question, she gave a more proper explanation.

“I just didn’t have confidence in myself. I wanted to try as many things as I could because skills can come in handy in unexpected ways.”

“That’s impressive. I don’t think I’d have that much drive.”

“Well, Yasuda, you’re great as a confidant, so that’s something to be admired too.”

“A confidant with mixed reviews, though.”

Kotomi smiled awkwardly before continuing.

“The mixed reviews are about Yasuda as a guy, not as a confidant. You’re solid as a confidant, aren’t you?”

It was a discussion about traits, after all. They shouldn’t be conflated.

“You listen to all these girls, help them solve their problems, and make a real difference. It’s something that can’t be overlooked. Whatever doubts you might have, that much is undeniable.”

Getting praised so directly made me a little embarrassed. No matter the initial motivations, it felt nice to have my actions acknowledged.

“Even if you compliment me, I don’t have much to offer in return. Personally, I think someone like you, with your diverse skills, is admirable, Kotomi. Maybe it’s just a case of wanting what I don’t have.”

“Maybe so. But I can’t dedicate myself to just one thing. Everything I try shows its limits eventually. I’m impatient and can’t stick with things for long.”

This might be what you’d call a jack-of-all-trades situation.

“Still, the neighbor’s grass always looks greener. I like how you acknowledge your lack of confidence and still keep challenging yourself.”

“You… like it?”

“Yeah, I think it’s great.”

After hearing that, Kotomi fell silent.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“You did. Really, Yasuda, you have a knack for charming people without realizing it.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. The oblivious type who unintentionally flirts is the worst kind, you know. But even so, I just can’t leave you alone.”

Hearing her put it so plainly left me at a loss.

By the time we had gone through everything on the plan, it was already evening.

“Thank you for today,” Kotomi said.

“No, thank you. Spending time with you wasn’t bad at all.”

“Fufu. Someday, I hope to become your number one, Yasuda.”

“We’ll see.”

“You said earlier, ‘the neighbor’s grass looks greener.’” Kotomi paused before adding,

“If I burn all the neighboring fields, then only my grass will look green. To become your number one, eliminating comparisons is another option.”

With her brightest smile of the day, Kotomi said something chilling.

“Do you realize how terrifying that sounds?”

“It’s just a declaration, nothing dramatic. I’m sure the other girls have just as much, if not more, passion than I do. There’s no need to be so surprised.”

Calling her passive or lacking assertiveness was clearly a mistake.

She, too, was a girl embodying the “yandere” attribute.

“My approach won’t change. I’m done pretending to be someone I’m not. Starting today and into the future, be prepared, Yasuda.”

The aura she emitted now was entirely different from before. It was overwhelming, as if even the slightest slip-up would get me devoured.

Thus, my winter break came to an end.

Leaving me with three potential girlfriends, each possessing undeniable yandere tendencies.

—

Chapter 33: Welcome Back

Winter break was over.

It could be said that it was a rare period of time where big changes happened in just a few weeks.

The consultations from other girls continued, though still sporadic.

What stood out in the past few days was that messages from Kujo, Shizuku, and Kotomi had been increasing every day.

Kotomi’s messages were particularly unusual. Since the day we went to the amusement facility, the notifications had been ringing frequently. There were constant updates and inquiries about recent events.

I couldn’t ignore them, so I replied properly to a certain extent. Perhaps because of that, the messages became longer and more frequent, and it was turning into quite a hassle.

I was starting to realize that Kotomi was the dark horse I hadn’t expected.

When I entered the classroom, I was immediately surrounded by a lively atmosphere. Many were talking about what had happened during the winter break, and I could feel that it had truly begun.

“Happy New Year, Yasuda Seiichiro-kun.”

After sitting down, a person who spoke politely approached me. It was our class president, Kujo.

“Happy New Year to you too, Kujo. I’m looking forward to this year as well.”

“Likewise, as classmates.”

The others didn’t know that Kujo and I had become much closer. Because of that, she seemed to avoid drawing attention on purpose.

“Oh, by the way.”

She quietly leaned in close to my ear.

“Let’s talk a bit after school.”

With a chilling breath, Kujo whispered. It happened in an instant, and no one around noticed, but it was definitely an effective move.

Kujo was staring at Shizuku.

“Alright, see you later.”

I waved lightly and walked away, causing a stir among the boys. Shortly after, Shizuku came over.

“Happy New Year, Yasuda.”

“Happy New Year. It’s unusual for you to call me by my full name.”

At school, Shizuku had always called me Seiichiro.

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s because Kujo Saya, that girl, tried to get ahead of me.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but the anger hidden in it was boiling, and it was enough to make me feel intimidated.

“So, about after school…”

“Hmm, it seems like you already have an appointment with Kujo, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Well then, it’ll be right after school. I think she didn’t set a specific time. The conversation won’t be long. How about that?”

“You’re right.”

Shizuku was quite observant. Kujo was impressive for taking the first step, but I had to admit that Shizuku knew how to handle things well.

“Then, you’ll prioritize me. I don’t care if you call it a last-minute decision. The one who didn’t set clear conditions loses.”

Pushed by Shizuku, two appointments were made for after school.

It should’ve ended there, but…

The third one came in successfully.

“Sei-kun, are you free after school?”

It was a message from Kotomi right after lunch break.

When plans come up, they tend to come all at once.

I couldn’t refuse. Kotomi had been getting more and more enthusiastic, and I had no choice but to accept.

The frequency of her messages was insane, and their length was considerable. After all the continuous messages, I was honestly starting to feel overwhelmed.

If I refused, her messages would only escalate, so I reluctantly accepted.

With that aside, I already had two appointments, so I couldn’t be too active about this one.

“I’ll let you know when I can meet.”

So, the order of meeting would be as follows:

First, Shizuku. Then, Kujo. Finally, Kotomi.

That’s how it went.

“You came first as promised. I knew you’d understand, Sei-kun.”

“You haven’t forgotten that you forced your way in, have you?”

“Hmm? What are you talking about?”

“It’s no use pretending. You found a way to insert yourself even though Kujo already had the first appointment.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter,” Shizuku casually waved it off.

“Anyway, do you know why I called you?”

“Is this a quiz?”

“I’m kind. So, if you can’t answer within two tries, I’ll reveal the answer.”

“Got it. What is it…?”

The last time Shizuku and I met, we went on a trip together.

Then, after that, the event with Kotomi happened.

“Are you dissatisfied with how we’ve been interacting?”

“That’s not completely wrong, but how would you explain that?”

“Kujo?”

“Wrong. Not at all. You clearly don’t understand.”

I got two wrong answers, so now Shizuku would reveal the correct one.

“I’ll tell you the real answer.”

“Go ahead.”

“…It seems you’ve gotten a new girl candidate. What do you think about that?”

This answer was enough to shake me.

The question of how she knew about Kotomi’s existence bothered me. I had expected it to be a matter of time before someone found out, but I hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.

“You’ve got quite a good nose, Shizuku.”

“So, you’re admitting it now, Sei-kun?”

“At this point, hiding it is useless.”

With that, Shizuku laughed loudly.

“Hahaha, you finally admitted it, Sei-kun. It seems that throwing a hook can be quite an effective tactic.”