In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 50

Chapter 50: Going Out with Yui

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As White Day approached, the girls in our class had been acting restless, discreetly watching the guys every day.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Alright. Onii-chan, shall we go?”

Today, I was heading out to the shopping mall with Yui. Our goal was to buy White Day gifts.

“So, if it’s a ‘Sorry’ response, I should go with candy or marshmallows. And if it’s a ‘Yes to dating,’ then I should get an accessory, right?”

“Yeap, that’s right. From what I’ve heard, if it’s just a ‘Yes to dating,’ mini pendants are the most common choice. You don’t need to worry about sizing and they’re easy to wear without getting in the way. If it’s more like ‘Let’s get engaged in the future,’ then a ring is fine too.”

“I see. For accessories, should I get the same design for everyone I’m responding to? Or should I go with different styles?”

“Onii-chan, how many do you need?”

“Uh… For now, maybe three? I should probably prepare at least that many at least.”

“Three, huh? If you like all three equally, then maybe just a slight variation in design or gemstone color would be better rather than creating a clear difference between them.”

That makes sense.

“Got it.”

“By the way, what kind of people are the ones Onii-chan picked? I’m curious.”

“What do you mean by ‘what kind’? They’re all completely different types. That’s why I couldn’t choose just one.”

“Choose? If it’s three, you don’t have to choose, do you?”

“Well, yeah, but… I’m not really great at handling multiple things at once, so juggling multiple relationships just doesn’t feel right to me.”

“It’s all about perspective, you know? Onii-chan likes pudding à la mode, right? It’s the same thing. There’s pudding, fruit, ice cream, and whipped cream. Each one is different, but when you put them together, they become even more amazing. That kind of idea.”

“Hmm… Pudding à la mode, sure, but isn’t dating a completely different matter?”

“Are you, by any chance, worried about things like sincerity and such?”

“…That might be it.”

“In that case, why not ask the girls directly? In this world, since men are extremely rare, even if a girl wants to have a guy all to herself, she might still think it’s fine to share, as long as things work out smoothly.”

“Is that how it is?”

“Yeah. Well, it’s not for everyone, but it’s more common than you’d think. Didn’t any of the girls say that to you during Valentine’s?”

“…Now that you mention it, someone did.”

“See? Rather than turning down two and choosing just one, it might actually make relationships easier if you accept all three. But ultimately, it’s Onii-chan’s decision.”

I had been stuck in the mindset of my old world, but I needed to start thinking about things more deeply. This was harder than I thought.

“I’m kind of jealous. It’s nice having someone think so seriously about you.”

“Yui?”

“I mean, even if a girl wants to get married, it doesn’t always work out, right? Even if she confesses to the guy she likes, he might just ignore her.”

“Yui, you…”

“Oh, don’t look so worried! I’m fine. I’m still in middle school, and at this age, it’s rare for a girl to get an answer anyway.”

Right, that made sense. In this world, where dating almost always led to marriage, people were generally cautious when it came to relationships. Even if a guy was popular, going out with multiple girls ‘just to test things out’ would get him labeled as a player and make girls wary of him. Men were allowed to have up to twelve wives, but it wasn’t common for someone to fill all those slots while still young. After all, you never knew who you’d meet in the future.

“Onii-chan, our stop is next.”

“Got it.”

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When we arrived at the shopping mall, everything was decked out for White Day. Since it was also the start of spring, even stores unrelated to White Day had bright, spring-themed displays.

“This is exciting!”

“Yeah. Are there more guys here than usual?”

“This place offers special White Day wrapping for purchased sweets, so a lot of people come here. Look.”

Following Yui’s gaze, I saw a special wrapping station with a line already forming at the counter.

“Did we arrive a little late? Sorry, it’s my fault.”

“There’s nothing else we need to do today, so don’t worry about it.”

“Hehe, thanks…! Oh? When did Michikado open a pop-up shop here?!”

“Michikado? What kind of store is that?”

“A famous takeout cake shop. It’s super cheap but really delicious, so the cost-performance of the menu is amazing!”

“I see. What’s your recommendation?”

“Definitely the Kinza Pudding! It’s not too sweet, but still has that proper custard pudding taste. Super easy to eat.”

“Custard pudding, huh? Then should we pick some up on the way home?”

“Yes! I’ll decorate them at home and turn them into pudding à la mode for you.”

“For real? Now I’m excited.”

If we were eating at home, I could even stack two puddings together… That actually sounded pretty great.

“Kyaaa, he smiled!”

Huh?

Suddenly, I heard high-pitched squeals from a group of girls around us.

“Onii-chan, they’re staring! Let’s go upstairs!”

Yui quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me onto the escalator leading to the second floor. Even from below, I could still hear their excited voices.

“What was that about?”

“They’re probably girls who’ve seen the BatFla PV. That video has an insane number of views on NekoNeko.”

“NekoNeko? You mean that video site?”

“Yeah and not just the original video, but edited versions too. People add captions, change the music, and all kinds of variations are circulating.”

“…I had no idea.”

“Onii-chan already stands out as it is and now MachiPuri has locked onto you too. When we go out, don’t leave my side, okay?”

“Ye-Yeah… I don’t really get it, but I’ll be careful.”

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