Chapter 3 – Thinking of Mana

“We’re here, Yuuto.”

“Ah, thanks, Mana.”

On the way here, I kind of figured out why I’m getting so much attention.
Simply put, I’m a guy, and—I hate to say it myself—I’m probably good-looking. …Though I haven’t actually seen myself yet.
A-anyway, right, I’m a guy. The fact that I’m male is what’s important. In this world, as common sense dictates, men are supposed to be disgusted by women.
And yet here I am, a guy, walking around clinging to Mana… to a girl, so I think that’s why I’m standing out.
Actually, even now my classmates? Upperclassmen? are all staring at me.

“Mana, I’m gonna swallow my pride and ask again, but which one is my classroom?”

“Huh, you forgot that too?”

“W-well, yeah.”

Is this getting unnaturally… suspicious?

“I’d really love to forget too, but your classroom is Class 1, Yuuto. Your seat is in the back by the window.”

“I-I see. Thanks, Mana.”

“It’s totally fine, Yuuto.”

Mana said that with a smile.
She didn’t think it was suspicious at all.

“Um, by the way, which class are you in, Mana?”

While internally breathing a sigh of relief at not being suspected, I asked Mana that.

“…Class 4.”

“Huh… ah, I see. So you’re in the complete opposite class from me.”

Of course I feel a bit disappointed, but well, I’m going to build a harem anyway, so it’s not all bad.
Even if this is a world where harems are okay, I felt like it’d be a bit awkward to flirt with other girls right in front of someone who’s already fallen for me.
Well, it’s less “flirting” and more that I’m going to pretend to be oblivious and make them fall for me.

“…Yeah. I wanted to be with you too, Yuuto.”

“Well, being in different classes can’t be helped. It’s only for a bit, but let’s head to the classrooms together.”

“Y-yeah. …Right. I need to make sure everyone knows you’re mine.”

I don’t remember becoming Mana’s, but whatever.
Since polygamy is normal in this world, even if she makes that kind of appeal, girls will still approach me normally, and Mana seems satisfied with it anyway.

“We’re here. This is your classroom, Yuuto.”

“Thanks, Mana.”

“Aren’t you going in?”

“Mm, I’ll walk you to your classroom first, then come back.”

“Huh, i-is that okay?”

“I want to spend even a little more time with you, Mana.”

“Y-yeah. I want to spend even a little more time with you too, Yuuto.”

Her face flushed, Mana said that to me.
…Yeah, hearing something like that from such a cute girl really does make me happy.

“…We’re here already.”

“Well then, as much as I hate to part, see you after school, Mana.”

Just as I said that and tried to leave, for some reason Mana’s demeanor suddenly changed.

“…Huh? After school?”

“Wh-what’s wrong? After school, but is there a problem?”

“Why after school? What about breaks? Do you not actually want to see me, Yuuto? Hey, which is it?”

Th-this is bad, what do I do?
I was planning to get friendly with other girls besides Mana during breaks, so I accidentally said “after school.”

“Th-there’s no way that’s true, right? I said after school because I was thinking of you, Mana.”

“…Thinking of me?”

“Y-yeah. Your class and my class are on complete opposite sides, right? You probably have friends too, and I want to make friends. So I thought meeting during breaks would be tough for both of us.”

Really I want to increase my number of girlfriends, not friends, but even in a world where polygamy is normal, I can’t just blurt that out honestly, so I said that instead.

“…It’s not tough. I’ll come see you during breaks too.”

“Huh, w-well of course I’m happy about that, but I also want to make friends, so you should value your own friends too, okay, Mana?”

“It’s fine. I’ll definitely come see you.”

Mana went straight into the classroom just like that.
W-well, whatever. Even if Mana really does come during breaks, it’s still a happy thing, and I’ll just build my harem slowly.
Thinking that, I started walking toward my own classroom that I’d been told about earlier.

Chapter 4 – An Immediate Harem Candidate

“Morning!”

The moment I entered my classroom after seeing Mana off, I said that.
It’s not like I raised my voice or anything.
But I guess a guy saying something like that is so unbelievable that the noisy classroom instantly went silent, with everyone turning their eyes toward me.
Including the two other guys besides me.

Just from giving a morning greeting I get this much surprise… I don’t know since my memories are hazy, but is this shock because the original me was pretty terrible, or are they simply surprised because I’m a guy? Which one is it? …I guess there’s also the option that it’s because I came to school for the first time in a while.

“G-good morning, Yuuto-kun.”

As I was thinking about such questions in my mind, a pink-haired girl with makeup that screamed “landmine girl” nervously greeted me back.
Oh no. This girl is just as much my type as Mana.
Maybe I’m getting hit by the gap between her obviously landmine-style appearance and this nervous way of greeting. She’s incredibly cute.
But I don’t know her name.

“Yeah. Morning… uh, sorry, but can I ask your name? My memory’s a bit fuzzy about various things, so I don’t really know.”

“O-of course that’s fine! My name is Sakata Yui. Feel free to call me Yui!”

“Got it. Nice to meet you, Yui.”

I nodded with a smile and immediately called Yui by her name.

“Huh, y-yeah. …It was supposed to be a joke, but you’re actually calling me that.”

Then, her face bright red, she said something like that.

“It was a joke? Then should I call you Sakata-san?”

I could’ve just pretended I didn’t hear that last part, but saying this would give me more of an oblivious or dense image. Probably.

“N-no. Keep it the way it was! Call me Yui.”

Yui said that in a flustered manner.

“You sure?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Okay, then I’ll definitely call you Yui.”

Saying that, I sat down in the seat Mana had told me about.
Then, Yui was about to come over to me, but pushing her aside, I got surrounded by other girls.
…I wonder if it’s thanks to Yui mustering up the courage to approach me first.

…Hmm, even if multiple people introduce themselves all at once, I’m not Prince Shoutoku, so I can’t make out anything at all.
While thinking that, I just kept flashing smiles all around.
Because I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying at all, so I figured this was the only way to get by.

While I was doing that, the girls who had swarmed around me suddenly went quiet for some reason.
When I looked up wondering what was going on, everyone was frozen with red faces.
And at the same time, the bell rang.

“The bell rang, and the teacher’s gonna come, right? Aren’t you going back to your seats?”

Saved. While thinking that but not letting it show on my face, I said that and got everyone who was frozen to go back to their seats.
And after confirming that scene, I thought:
Yui, you’re in the seat next to mine?

Since I hadn’t expected her to be in the seat next to me, I looked at Yui with surprise.
Yui seemed to notice that gaze, and with a red face, she tilted her head cutely.
Confirming the teacher was entering the classroom, I mouthed “it’s nothing” to her.
Then, Yui turned away looking even more embarrassed.

Thinking carefreely how cute Yui looked like that while half-listening to the teacher’s words, my phone vibrated.

【Yuuto, are any weird bugs bothering you? Are you okay? Should I come over there right now?】

When I secretly checked my phone, there was that kind of message from Mana.
…Weird bugs? There’s no way she’s talking about girls other than herself… right? And I’m not particularly being bothered by anyone.
More importantly, “should I come over there right now”—you’re in the middle of homeroom too, Mana, so that’s obviously impossible.

【I don’t really get it, but I’m fine】

【Really? You’re not pushing yourself?】

【I’m not】

【…That’s good. But I’m definitely coming during break】

【…Yeah. Got it】

Maybe I should think of this as a good opportunity to introduce Yui.