Harem Of The Oshika Clan - H105 Shopping and Gratitude

H105 Shopping and Gratitude

While I was enjoying a morning bath with the Meneko family’s beauties, the men prepared breakfast. On the same Japanese-style table from last night, the menu is bread, soup, salad, scrambled eggs… totally Western.

It doesn’t feel mismatched at all. Maybe this is typical for the Meneko household.

I blend into their table seamlessly, as if I’ve lived with them forever.

It’s not just the Meneko family—every branch family welcomes me warmly. After a night, it doesn’t feel like a stranger’s home.

Probably because of the intense nights, but everyone accepts me, a newcomer, so easily. I’m grateful, but I need to keep up to meet their expectations.

Leaving the Meneko house, I return to the Oshika mansion for a quick run, then head out alone to the usual large shopping complex. I’ve been here every week since school started. There’s hardly a store I haven’t visited—it’s convenient. It’s a bit far but manageable by bike.

At the complex, I park my bike and look for my destination: a sports store. I’ve been thinking about buying a treadmill for indoor exercise on rainy days.

Using the mall’s map on my phone, I head straight to the sports store without getting lost.

Inside the spacious store, I search for my target. There they are—three different treadmills, set up for testing.

I check their appearances and model numbers, then sit in a nearby rest—or negotiation?—area to research them on my phone. The screen’s too small to compare properly. The comparison page requires sliding, and I didn’t bring my tablet. It’s hard to grasp the details.

I’m just an amateur using it, so picking randomly might not matter, but I’ll stick with it longer if I’m convinced by my choice.

Back at the treadmills, I wave over a clerk and ask about each model.

“This one measures your weight and height with a visual sensor, calculating calories burned automatically. It connects to the store’s network to track daily exercise and calories,” the clerk explains.

Too fancy. I don’t need all that.

“This model projects scenery on your TV, syncing with your running speed for an immersive outdoor feel,” they continue.

Not necessary. I plan to put it by the bedroom window, watching the rainy garden. If I get bored, I’ll stream nature videos on the TV. I won’t use it daily, so I doubt I’ll tire of the view.

I choose the basic model. It measures weight automatically but requires manual height input. It can store multiple users’ data, but it’s manual selection without biometric authentication. Since it’s mainly for me on rainy days, this is enough.

I pay for the treadmill, arrange delivery, and leave the store.

With time to spare, I wander the complex. I’d love to check out robot-building shops for my hobby, but I’ll save that for another day. I have plans later.

“Miya-chan!” I call out.

“Akira-san, hello!” she replies.

Wandering the complex, I spot a familiar face. Miya-chan, who I often commute with lately, looks cute with her twin tails.

“Hello. Waiting for someone?” I ask.

“Yes, something like that,” she says.

“Same here. Are you meeting them here?”

This spot, with a prominent statue, is a popular meeting point. The complex has a few like it.

“…Yes,” she confirms.

“It’s easy to find, right? I’m meeting at the station gate, so I should go soon. Oh, see you tonight!”

Tonight, I’m visiting the Metaka family, so I’ll be with this twin-tailed beauty again. I picture Miya-chan’s naked body from our previous encounter. She hugs herself, looking up at me with a shy glance.

“Akira-san, your eyes are naughty…” she says.

“Sorry!” I say, shaking off the mental image. Staring like that in public is bad.

“You’re so cute, I couldn’t help it. I’ll be careful.”

“It’s okay,” she says, blushing, even cuter now. But I’m not looking with lust anymore.

“My meeting’s soon, so I’m off,” I say.

“Take care,” she replies.

“You too, Miya-chan.”

I wave lightly and leave. She waves back, seeing me off.

At the station gate in the complex, my date, Yubari Akane-chan, is already there, though the train isn’t due for ten minutes.

“Hello. Did I keep you waiting? Sorry,” I say.

It’s not the agreed time, but I apologize for making her wait.

“Hello. Don’t worry. I was excited and took an earlier train,” Akane-chan says with a sunflower-like smile. She was timid when we met, but this must be her real self. She was just intimidated by Inogaya-senpai then.

Today, Akane-chan’s in casual clothes, not her uniform. Her pink dress and white short coat suit her petite frame perfectly. With her short hair pinned back and a small shoulder bag, she’s adorable.

Even non-clan girls at Meshi Academy are stunning.

“Have you picked a restaurant?” I ask, dazzled by her.

“Yes, I made a reservation. This way,” she says, linking fingers with me and leading the way.

It feels like a date. To others, it probably looks like one. It’s just a thank-you meal for helping her, but still.

No point worrying about appearances. I let Akane-chan guide me.

The complex splits around the railway: affordable shops on one side, upscale ones on the other. I assumed we’d go to a casual family restaurant, but Akane-chan heads straight for the high-end area.

“Here we are,” she says.

“Is this okay?” I ask.

“Don’t worry,” she replies.

She leads me to a restaurant—not the fanciest, but upscale enough to make a high schooler hesitate. I blurt out a rude question, but she enters unfazed, giving her name to the staff.

The waiter guides us to our reserved table with polite, almost deferential gestures, treating us like any other guests.

“It’s my treat, so order anything you want,” Akane-chan says.

The menu’s expensive-looking dishes make me hesitate. They look pricey—really pricey. No prices are listed, just names and photos. Isn’t that a sign of a super high-end place? This is my first time in a restaurant without prices. It feels a level above what the exterior suggested.

I glance at Akane-chan, who’s browsing the menu calmly, clearly at ease. It hits me—she’s a Meshi Academy student, not a scholarship kid like Runa or Youko. Her family must be well-off, used to places like this.

I focus on the menu. The photos are a lifesaver. I’ve heard high-end restaurants often list only names, with dishes hard to imagine. Photos make it easier.

“Decided?” Akane-chan asks, smiling as I look up.

“Yeah, this one,” I say.

“Drinks?” she asks.

“Didn’t think about it. Uh, this,” I say, pointing to something orange juice-like. The name’s too complex to say without tripping over my tongue.

“Do you come to places like this often?” I ask after she orders.

“Not really. Maybe once every three months,” she says.

“That’s still four times a year,” I reply.

“Don’t you come to places like this, senpai?” she asks.

“Nope. First time at a place without prices on the menu,” I admit.

I was a regular kid until recently.

“But you’re from the Oshika family, right?” she says.

“Yeah, but I transferred to Meshi Academy in April. Before that, I grew up in a normal family.”

“Really? Oh, now that you mention it, there wasn’t an ‘Oshika’ senpai at school last year,” she says.

Since Meshi Academy is run by Oshika Holdings, clan students are somewhat known among others, judging by her reaction.

“You take the train to school, right? Thanks for coming out on a day off,” I say.

“It’s my treat, so of course I’d come,” she replies.

“That’s nice to hear. How long’s the commute?”

“Not much. About ten minutes by train. My house is close to the station…”

She talks happily, and I nod along, listening.

Our food arrives, and the conversation flows. I was initially worried about the cost, but talking with Akane-chan makes those concerns vanish. She’s a great conversationalist, not what I expected from our first meeting. You really don’t know someone until you spend time with them.