I Was Not Popular With Girls in My Previous Life, but I Was Reincarnated Into a World Where Harems Are the Norm, and a Mentally Unstable Elf Beauty Follows Me Around - Chapter 17 & 18

Do You Even Have Someone You Like?

Sakura had suggested, “How about trying to see all of us as potential partners in that sense?”

What I thought “that sense” meant was romantic interests, but Sakura, being a succubus, apparently meant something further along.

Honestly speaking, if it was about that, then all four of them would qualify. Just thinking that was normal, right?

As I pondered how to respond, Meg suddenly spoke up.

“Hey, hey, Kaito, do you even have someone you like to begin with?”

Her question made me pause. Back when I was in Japan, I always had someone I liked. Though it was always one-sided crushes.

It started in middle school. I fell for the cutest girl in class. It was the same in high school. I even thought most people were probably like that.

After all, there was not much else to go on for judgment.

I could almost hear voices saying, “Come on, tell us about it.” But if I had that kind of assertiveness, I would not have ended my life single.

When I thought about it, though, we saw each other every day, so I must have had plenty of chances to make a move.

Now I realized how wasteful that had been. I had just spent all my time talking nonsense with my few like-minded guy friends.

Once I became a working adult, I started looking beyond just a woman’s appearance.

I did not intend to deny judging by looks. But surely that alone would not make things last long.

Come to think of it, even one of those few guy friends had gotten married. How had he done it?

…Oh, wait, I was getting lost in old memories. Meg had asked if I had no one I liked, right?

“You know, I might not have even thought about it.”

“I see. But Airi has been right by your side the whole time, right? Did you never consider that?”

“Even though she was nearby, it felt more like we were just companions in the same adventurer party.”

“Ehh? Airi, are you okay with that?”

Meg’s words drew everyone’s attention to Airi. After a brief pause, Airi began to speak.

“Well, if I had to say good or bad, it would be bad. Kaito sees me as nothing more than ‘a blonde who can attack from a distance.’ I thought I was appealing in my own way, but he must have focused all his senses solely on combat.”

In other words, she was saying I was oblivious? Well, I was not against her at all and thought she was a good girl, but if asked if I liked her as a woman, it was hard to say.

Then Sakura spoke up, looking a bit exasperated.

“Kaito, that will not do. What is the point of being that oblivious? You two were alone together the whole time, so not making a move is just rude.”

It was like the saying about not eating the meal laid out before you. Had there even been such a meal…? Airi had never said anything suggestive, and I had not sensed any such vibe from her.

“Hey, hey, what do you think of me? The agency introduced us to each other, but we have not done anything marriage-hunting related yet.”

“I have been thinking that too.”

Probably, in Japan, that would lead to going on a date first.

That would be the same even without an agency involved, right?

“Want to go on a date?”

“If you are okay with it, Meg, I would love to.”

“Then it is settled!”

Oh no, I should have been the one to ask her out. My lack of experience hurt.

“Meg, you are so proactive. Good for you. Airi, are you fine with this?”

When Sakura asked, Airi paused again.

“If it is all right, may I join you as well?”

Normally, that would be a no. Should I turn her down here?

“Sure, come along, Airi!”

“Meg, are you really okay with that?”

“I am totally fine with it. I love having fun.”

Her values really differed in this area. But her genuinely excited expression was appealing.

“Thank you, Meg.”

Somehow things had gotten weird. A date with two girls? That was impossible for me.

Misty, who had been watching silently until now, finally spoke up.

“This is…! Could it be a double date!?”

A double with girls would be like a mini harem. I explained the proper meaning to Misty.

But that left me in a bind. Could I even handle two girls on my own?

**

I Like Seeing All Sorts of Expressions from You

We ended up going on a date with both Airi and Meg at the same time. I had been on a date or two in my previous life, after all.

I had done my homework beforehand and tried to make sure things went smoothly on the actual day. Above all, to avoid failing. But it was no use. Without any talking skills, there was nothing I could do.

Of course, there was no second time. And just like that, we gradually grew distant. I even felt sorry for wasting her precious time.

So a double date like this was impossible, no matter how I thought about it. That was what I believed, yet here I was, at the meeting spot in the square.

I would not run away. I had decided that this time, I would get married.

“Kaito, sorry for being late.”

“Kaito, sorry to keep you waiting!”

The two of them arrived together. What was this? Dates were usually one-on-one or two-on-two, right? But two-on-one. This world really made this feel normal.

“You are still a bit early; it is fine.”

Since we lived together, we could have left the house as a group. But Meg had insisted, “That would not be a date!” So we decided that whoever was ready first would head out.

Thanks to that—or whatever—they were both dressed differently from usual.

Airi wore a white blouse with light green short pants. And surprisingly, the blouse left both shoulders completely exposed.

Meg usually dressed revealingly, but today she wore a light blue, cute dress. Her bare legs with boots remained the same as always.

And that was when I remembered clearly. The first time I saw Airi in her maid outfit, I had not even thought to comment on it, and she had gotten upset.

“Airi, that outfit suits you well. Like I said before, you really look good in anything.”

“I-Is that so? I just prefer clothes that are easy to move in.”

Airi said that, but her mouth was curving into a smile, on the verge of breaking into a grin.

“Hey, hey, what about me?”

“You look good too, Meg. It fits your bright image perfectly.”

“Yes!”

She really was a cheerful, good girl. Why was someone like her on a ten-loss confession streak?

We went to a restaurant first. It was just past noon. We had all decided on a meal to start. A date plan decided by three people—unheard of, right?

That said, how someone ate was important. Did they have basic manners? Was their eating clean? How did they treat the staff? They were probably observing those things, and so was I.

It was a table for four, so we had to split into one and two.

“Then Meg and I will sit next to each other.”

“Huh, you do not need to worry about that. I am fine anywhere.”

“No, because then I would not be able to see your face. I like seeing all sorts of expressions from you, Kaito.”

(Guh…!)

That had some serious impact…! I had never heard anything like that before.

The orders arrived, and we all started eating.

“This is delicious! Hey, hey, Kaito, try some of this.”

There was something like spaghetti on the plate in front of Meg, who said that.

“Oh, it does look good. Can I have some?”

“Of course! Because I want to share good things.”

“Then I will help myself. Thanks.”

I reached out with my fork as I said that.

“Oh, that is not it! Here, ahh.”

Meg’s fork, which she held out, had the spaghetti twirled around it.

“Huh? I can eat it myself.”

“Here, ahh.”

“I will use my own fork.”

“…Here, ahh. Come on, ahh. Now, ahh.”

This was the unstoppable kind…! Meg had this side to her sometimes. An unsettling pressure, like an atmosphere you could not go against.

When I opened my mouth, Meg gently slipped the fork into it. Then I closed my lips around the spaghetti and the fork.

She timed it and slowly pulled the fork out of my mouth.

An indirect deep kiss? It was not like sharing a soda or something.

But worrying about indirect kisses was probably something only up to high school.

At my age, what concerned me was not that. It was whether the other person minded. In other words, the anxiety of whether she disliked me.

Anxiety was something born from one’s imagination. Thinking negatively like this was my habit.

“Yeah, it is definitely good.”

“Right!? Maybe Meg and Kaito have the same taste in food!”

In this situation, I could not ask, “It is the same fork, but that was okay?”

But since she initiated it, she would not do it if she disliked it.

I glanced at Airi. I did not know why I was checking on Airi.

Airi had already prepared an “ahh” with the dish she ordered.

What I felt so far was that I wanted to see both of them again.

… Even though we lived together.

In other words, I judged both of them as viable romantic interests. And in this world, marriage to more than one person was allowed.

(Should I think about it a bit more seriously…?)