After Becoming a Counselor for Girls, I Ended Up Producing a Lot of Potential Girlfriends Who Became Mentally Ill - Chapter 36-37

Chapter 36: The Three Who Crossed Paths Begin a Dialogue

“Wh-who are these people?”

Kotomi couldn’t hide her shock.

She had arrived with Kujo and Shizuku in tow.

It was no surprise that Shizuku was exasperated, and naturally, a minor commotion had occurred between the two of them.

“Well, in short…”

As I began to speak, the two standing by interrupted.

“He’s my boyfriend-to-be,” Shizuku declared.

“And he’s the man who will become my boyfriend,” Kujo added confidently.

Both of them spoke with unshakable confidence.

“I see, so this is the rumored first meeting. It’s abrupt, though.”

“It was unexpected. Please understand that this was the result of much inner turmoil.”

“It’s fine. Yasuda-kun, I know very well that you’re this kind of person.”

Hearing this, Shizuku froze.

“Yasuda-kun… I see… Hearing such calm words from this graceful girl has an explosive power at least ten times the norm. What a strategist! I could never do that. She’s a rare talent indeed,” Shizuku murmured, analyzing Kotomi at length.

“So this is Shiraisi Kotomi,” Kujo reacted coolly.

“Yes, I’m Shiraisi Kotomi. I’m hoping to become Yasuda-kun’s girlfriend. I understand you two made your declarations first, but nothing is set in stone, right? I’ll take him away,” Kotomi said boldly.

Her words were quite combative.

The heated atmosphere seemed ready to erupt into an intense argument.

“Huh?”

Kotomi’s statement elicited identical reactions of surprise from Kujo and Shizuku.

“You’re free to think whatever you want. But don’t forget, newcomers’ thoughts mean little to those of us who arrived first!” Shizuku snapped.

“As Nogami-san said, you need to recognize that you’re not special,” Kujo added.

The three maintained their combative stances.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere. Let’s move to a place where we can talk calmly. It could be troublesome if others see us like this,” Kotomi suggested.

Kujo seemed to consider this for a moment.

“Alright, but Seiichiro-kun, who’s at the center of all this, needs to hear us out thoroughly too.”

“…Yeah, that’s how this is going to go,” I muttered.

The tense atmosphere continued. I couldn’t remain a bystander anymore; I realized I was one of the key players in this situation.

Thus, Kotomi’s house was chosen as the location for the discussion.

Why, though?

“Here, even if Yasuda-kun tries something inappropriate, there won’t be any issues. We’ll all be watching him.”

“I think it’s more likely that Kotomi might try something on him,” Shizuku countered.

“Men are beasts. Please understand that!” Kotomi declared.

I answered, “Got it,” but couldn’t help laughing inwardly.

Kotomi’s eyes glinted dangerously. If anyone here resembled a beast, it was her. If the other two weren’t around, who knows what might happen.

“Seiichiro-kun, you call Shiraisi-san by her name, but I’m still just Kujo. Where did I go wrong?” Kujo asked.

“Is it too late for you to call me Saya now?”

“If it feels forced, maybe it’s better not to,” she added.

The timing hadn’t been right.

Now that she mentioned it, I’d been calling only Kujo by her last name.

Calling Kotomi by her first name had happened naturally. If the opportunity had presented itself, calling Kujo “Saya” wouldn’t have felt strange either.

“I’ll consider the timing,” I assured her.

“Alright. The sooner, the better,” Kujo replied.

Kotomi watched us intently, clearly waiting for her turn.

“Ah, right. You have a lot to say too, don’t you?”

“Yes. I’d like to lay everything out here. I want to know your relationships with Yasuda-kun and comfortably join this race for his affection.”

After a brief pause, Shizuku raised her hand.

“So, in other words, you’re asking us to provide information to give you an advantage because you fell behind?”

“To be frank, yes.”

“Ha! What a ridiculous notion. Don’t think for a second that I’d freely engage in an act that benefits the enemy, trash.”

“!?”

Noticing Shizuku enter “her mode,” Kotomi seemed to switch gears as well.

She looked as if she had realized something.

“Forming alliances with the enemy is only acceptable when victory is assured…”

“…and this is not one of those times!”

The two exchanged thumbs-up gestures.

“Is this a reference to that anime?” Kotomi asked.

“Indeed, exactly that!” Shizuku confirmed.

“To think someone else still likes that obscure anime, I underestimated you,” Kotomi admitted, her tone slightly biting.

Even so, she continued, “It’s nice, though. To unexpectedly find a common ground. A kindred spirit!”

“Yes! Let’s exchange information!”

“Absolutely!!”

As the two dove into their own world, Kujo and I watched from the sidelines.

“Kujo, why don’t you join in?”

“I’m not as easy as you are,” she replied.

“Calling me easy is rude! It’s camaraderie at its finest!”

“Well, I suppose talking isn’t a big deal. It’s not like it’ll put me at a disadvantage.”

Everyone seemed confident in their position. Kujo must have concluded that there was no harm in sharing information.

“Alright then, let’s discuss everything we’ve experienced so far within reason,” I suggested.

—

Chapter 37: The Battle of Potential Girlfriends

Talking about everything that had happened so far would take a considerable amount of time.

I had memories with Kujo, Shizuku, and Kotomi. Each of them had their own unique episodes.

As I listened to the three of them talk, I found myself reflecting on just how much time I had spent with each of them.

“…I’ve thought about it carefully. In summary, Seii-kun is…”

Shizuku was deep in thought, trying her best to piece everything together.

“Someone who has been equally suggestive with all of us. I think that sums it up.”

“I couldn’t bear to leave anyone behind. That’s just the way I’ve chosen to handle things.”

“That’s unforgivable! This is what they call the cruelty of kindness!”

Kujo and Kotomi nodded enthusiastically at Shizuku’s remark.

“We understand your feelings for all of us. But if you weren’t serving as a mediator, it would seem like you were just playing with us from a safe distance.”

Kujo, as always, delivered her critique calmly and precisely.

“I can’t deny that.”

“So then, it seems that Seiichiro-kun doesn’t have many options left, does he?”

Kujo continued, her tone serious.

“If things don’t become clear, what happens from now on? Do we continue in this unresolved state, or should we move toward something more distant and neutral?”

“It seems like I need to decide.”

I was well aware of my indecisiveness.

Still, I had believed that this approach was the best at the time, so I had carried on with it.

And that led to this problem. To an outsider, it seemed like an issue that had suddenly popped up in the past few months.

But in reality, it was a latent problem that had been there all along.

“What do you want to do, Seii-kun? We’re all waiting for your answer.”

“Yes, that’s right. I’d like to know where we stand.”

Even when cornered, I couldn’t answer immediately.

“I…”

I wanted to be honest. Yet, I still found myself wishing not to let go of anyone.

If that was the case, I would need to break free from conventional thinking.

“…I won’t change anything.”

“Have you lost your mind, Seii-kun?”

“No, I’m perfectly calm.”

When I said that, all three of them gave me exasperated looks.

“Choosing only one of you… It’s just too cruel.”

“The world runs on competition. People either win or lose. That’s the law of nature.”

“Seiichiro-kun, I want to be the most important to you. It’s my core belief.”

Shizuku folded her arms in silence. Everyone seemed to share a sense of dissatisfaction.

“I understand how all of you feel. But please, think about it calmly for a moment. If all three of you became my girlfriends, wouldn’t that be a win for everyone?”

I followed up, throwing out the idea of having them all as my girlfriends.

In short, it was nothing more than a justification for maintaining the status quo. It was an excuse, spun anew.

Even though it was a desperate suggestion, the three of them listened carefully.

“…So that’s what I’ve come to. I’d like to hear whether you agree or disagree.”

After a brief pause, their answers came back.

“I’m against it.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I oppose it as well.”

It was a unanimous rejection.

“I see… That’s a no, huh…”

The idea that everyone could be happy without competition—my flimsy logic—meant nothing to these strong-willed girls.

“Seii-kun, we understand that you care about all of us. But this time, we could see the compromise in your words.”

“Perhaps that’s true.”

“In that case, as your childhood friend, let me speak for you, Seii-kun!”

Shizuku seemed to have made up her mind.

“I have three demands.”

First, I will continue to aim for the position of Seii-kun’s girlfriend.

Second, I will not forbid the other candidates from meeting with Seii-kun.

Third, I will respect Seii-kun’s role as a mediator.

These were Shizuku’s terms.

“In the end, it’s not that different from the current situation. Still, it’s a more proactive version of maintaining the status quo.”

“Shizuku may be fine with that, but what about the other two?”

Kotomi replied, “Of course!” while Kujo said, “Bring it on.”

My concerns turned out to be unfounded.

The three of them each had a burning passion in their hearts and were fully prepared to fight for their place. No matter what the others did, they were determined to win.

“Maybe I was overthinking things. Trying to force something unreasonable isn’t good, after all.”

“Exactly! That said, please remember, Seiichiro-kun, it’s only natural to feel jealous when I see you enjoying yourself with others.”

“Please don’t glare at me like that.”

“I’ll leave it at that. The past can’t be changed. Let’s move forward and enjoy ourselves knowingly from now on, okay?”

It was refreshing to see Kotomi take the lead so confidently.

“For a newcomer to steal the spotlight, it seems some guidance from a senior is in order.”

“Would Lady Yulia be pleased to see you acting like this?”

“Gah, are you testing my faith? How underhanded!”

“I’ll use whatever I can. Understand?”

Kotomi no longer seemed like the newcomer; she had quickly established herself as one of the contenders.

With this, the gathering of the three was concluded for the day.

On the way home, I hadn’t anticipated how difficult it would be to walk with all three of them.

“I should walk next to Seii-kun. Seniority deserves respect.”

“Seniority is losing its relevance these days. The younger ones should be given a chance!”

“Considering my position as the class president, wouldn’t I be the most suitable choice?”

A lively argument ensued.

Conscious of the stares from others, the commotion was short-lived, but it was exhausting nonetheless.

In the end, they settled on surrounding me, forming a triangle with me at the center.