All the Heroines Who Showed Their Overwhelming Emotions on Me Have Mentally Broken Down and Gone Insane, so Now My Only Choice Is to Pamper Them Endlessly to Avoid Total Chaos — Sweets Work Best on Lovesick Heroines - Chapter 21: Menhera Rehabilitation Program

Chapter 21: Menhera Rehabilitation Program

“So we’ll assign days of the week to make sure everyone gets equal time with me. No involvement with me on any other days. Breaking the rules means you’re out of the running.”

“Wait a minute! That means… that means I only get to be with Aotori one day a week!?”

“That’s right.”

“No! Absolutely not! I want to be with Aotori every day! Every single day!”

“If you don’t like it, that’s fine. You’ll just be eliminated.”

“Ugh…!”

Tendo choked back a whimper as she writhed in distress.

“Does that apply to me as well?”

“Of course. Senior, please stay away from me except on Wednesdays.”

“…Understood.”

To his surprise, Senior Yami nodded readily. She was smart enough to realize that resisting now would gain her nothing.

Next, Iori spoke up.

“Hold on. Even if I accept that condition, what about Kokoa-chan? She gets to monopolize you every day, right? That’s unfair, isn’t it? Totally abnormal, right?”

“Well… there’s nothing I can do about that. She’s family.”

“So Kokoa-chan gets to be with you every day? Mornings and nights, always together. That’s not fair at all, is it? Not equal in the slightest, right?”

“Y-yeah! I want to live with Aotori too! I want to make him meals every day!”

Tendo jumped on Iori’s bandwagon. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say. It was almost impressive how well they got along in moments like this.

Faced with the two of them, Kokoa twisted her lips in smug triumph.

“I’m Onii-chan’s little sister, after all. We’re on a whole different level from you.”

Don’t provoke them…

He gave Kokoa a light chop on the head.

“Don’t make that face. And no more harsh words.”

“But it’s the truth.”

Kokoa pouted in dissatisfaction. She showed no sign of remorse.

At that moment, Senior Yami let out a derisive snort.

“Even as childhood friends, this is getting ridiculous. It’s pathetic how Ototsuka-san and Tendo-san are throwing tantrums out of jealousy over her familial position.”

“Doesn’t the Student Council President know? Kokoa-chan is Kaname’s stepsister.”

“Step…?”

“There’s no blood relation. And yet here she is, going on about ‘my big brother’ and wanting to marry him.”

Iori pointed at Kokoa while exposing the fact.

“Marry…?”

Senior Yami’s voice lowered. Until now, she had regarded Kokoa with warm eyes, but suddenly, her gaze sharpened as if facing an enemy.

“Even as stepsiblings, isn’t it problematic to bring romance into a family relationship?”

It was a refreshingly blatant reversal.

Faced with the now-hostile Senior Yami, Kokoa shot back without yielding.

“There’s no problem! I looked it up properly!”

“Even so, we can’t overlook Kokoa-san having such an advantage. Spending nearly every one of the 365 days with Aotori-kun isn’t equal by any measure.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been saying from the start.”

Iori lifted her chin in smug victory.

“Special treatment for just Kokoa-chan is unfair no matter how you look at it.”

And just like that, Kokoa found herself on the defensive.

“It’s not fair! But I’m his little sister!”

“No, it is fair to address. To ensure equality, I’ll provide a place to live.”

“Eh…?”

He and Kokoa exclaimed in unison.

The conversation had escalated too quickly.

“There’s an empty apartment under Ayakura family management. If we’re dividing chances by schedule, then Aotori-kun should live there alone.”

He never saw that coming…

The rich really thought on another level.

Naturally, Kokoa resisted the idea.

“Wait just a minute! Onii-chan leaving home…?”

“Yes. That way, everyone is truly equal. No complaints, right?”

“But… that’s…”

Kokoa floundered, clearly hating the thought of being apart from him.

He felt perplexed for entirely different reasons.

“Um. This is getting pretty big, but I don’t have a job or anything, so living expenses…”

“I’ll cover everything. No rent needed.”

“…………”

Living off someone else—a woman, no less.

That made him a total kept man.

But… it wasn’t a bad deal?

“If that’s acceptable, we’ll accept your condition, Aotori-kun.”

“Yeah, Kaname. If you want equality, that’s the least you can do.”

“I’m in favor too!”

It was three against one. Kokoa stood completely isolated.

He would need to convince his parents, but if moving out reduced her dependence even a little, she might start going to school again.

Either way, it would be a good stimulus.

“…All right. We’ll go with Senior’s plan.”

“Nooooo!”

Kokoa crumpled to the floor. She dropped to her knees, her face like the end of the world.

It was for her menhera issues, but more than that, he wanted Kokoa to live like a proper student—as an individual.

He had no choice but to toughen up.

“Now, to confirm: Mondays with Tendo, Tuesdays with Iori, Wednesdays with Senior, and Kokoa… Thursdays, I guess. No active involvement with me on off days. In exchange, on your assigned day, we’ll go on dates or whatever.”

“‘Whatever’?”

“Ah, no… Within reason, whatever.”

Seeing the three of them change expressions, he hurriedly corrected himself. Their idea of “whatever” was clearly on a different plane from normal people’s.

Without the leash of common sense, things could get out of hand.

He looked over the four of them again.

He needed to clearly convey the rules going forward.

“And at the same time, you’ll all participate in the rehabilitation program I’ve devised.”

“Rehabilitation? You think there’s something wrong with me?”

Tendo tilted her head as if to say what nonsense.

Lack of self-awareness was the worst part.

“Yeah. You all are off.”

“The other three, maybe, but I have no need for rehabilitation.”

“You absolutely do.”

He answered Senior Yami immediately. No one who resorted to abduction and imprisonment could be considered normal.

“If it’s something Kaname wants, I’ll do anything.”

Iori was straightforward. Though her tone carried a hint of darkness…

Kokoa remained collapsed on the floor in a daze. Better to leave her be for now.

He addressed their issues one by one.

“First, Iori. From now on, never use any words that evoke death. No more ‘I want to die’ or ‘run me over’—all of that is banned.”

“I don’t say it because I like it.”

“Stop it anyway. And no more interrogations.”

“…Got it. I’ll be careful.”

“If you act like your old self, I think I could really come to like you, Iori. So please.”

“Whoa…”

Iori practically boiled over. In that instant, Tendo and Senior Yami shot her sharp glares.

He had stepped on a landmine…

He needed to move the conversation along before things erupted.

“Next, Senior. No more unannounced meetings with me.”

“Eh…”

“Running into each other at school is fine, but never show up at my house without warning or pull any abduction or imprisonment stunts.”

“…No helping it, then. I’ll manage.”

“If you fix that, I might be able to consider you as a romantic option.”

“Eek!”

Senior Yami let out a strange squeak. Her usual elegance vanished, replaced by a full-on maiden’s blush.

She really was innocent at heart…

“What about me!? What about me!? How can I make you like me!?”

“Tendo, you’re banned from all stalker behavior.”

“Eh? I haven’t stalked anyone.”

“Should’ve been more specific… No more planting trackers or ambushing me—total ban.”

“B-but… Then I won’t know anything about Aotori…”

“Just face me head-on on your assigned day. You don’t need to monitor me.”

“Ugh…”

“If you fix that, I could consider you as a romantic option too.”

“Really!?”

Tendo leaned forward eagerly.

She was so straightforward, without a trace of duplicity.

That was exactly why he believed she had plenty of room for improvement.

“Finally, Kokoa.”

Kokoa said nothing. She had been hugging her knees and curling up since earlier.

He knelt in front of her to meet her eyes.

“Stop depending on me. Once you start living alone, no daily contact either.”

“But…”

“I get that you’re anxious, but it’s about time you changed, right? You’ll be a high schooler next year.”

“I can’t… Without Onii-chan, I…”

“You can. Make up with that friend you had trouble with and build relationships with people besides me.”

“But…”

“If you do that, I’ll consider you as a romantic option too. I’ll set aside the stepsibling thing and think about it properly.”

Kokoa lifted her face. Her eyes widened.

“Really…?”

“Yeah. So do your best.”

He had given each of them a challenge.

Now they all stood at the same starting line.

He made one final check.

“That’s it. Any questions?”

A brief silence fell as the four exchanged glances.

Senior Yami spoke first.

“Understood. I’ll definitely make Aotori-kun fall for me.”

“Me too! I’ll do my best! I’ll make sure Aotori picks me!”

“I won’t lose either. Kaname, I’ll make you happy.”

“I’ll… do my best too…”

Each of the four voiced her resolve.

He had no idea if this was the right answer, but it was the best he could do now.

Endless sweetness had reached its limit. If he couldn’t push them away, he had to face them head-on.

For the future after graduation—for the three who wouldn’t end up with him to move forward—he would cure every last one of their menhera issues!

―――――――――――――――――

[Raimu Tendo]

Dependency: ★★★★☆

Danger: ★★☆☆☆

Menhera: ★★★★☆

[Yami Ayakura]

Dependency: ★★★★☆

Danger: ★★★★☆

Menhera: ★★★★☆

[Iori Ototsuka]

Dependency: ★★★★☆

Danger: ★★★★☆

Menhera: ★★★★☆

[Kokoa Aotori] (Change noted)

Dependency: ★★★★★

Danger: ★★★★☆

Menhera: ★★★★☆ → ★★★★★