Parameter Supremacy: The Man Who Seizes a Harem Through Sheer Effort. - Chapter 34.

Episode 34: Summer Vacation Promises.

It had been about a week since the day I accidentally caught sight of Shiina naked. Mid-July already. Summer vacation was just around the corner.

The rainy season had ended, leaving behind days of stifling, humid heat. Cicadas roared in chorus across the school grounds, and the sun beat down without mercy. Uniform shirts clung damply to skin; students wiped sweat from glistening foreheads with towels. Summer asserted itself with an almost suffocating presence.

Morning practice with Shiina had continued uninterrupted since that day. Still, after the shower incident, she seemed more considerate—or perhaps simply embarrassed—because she no longer stopped by my place afterward. Half of me felt disappointed; the other half was quietly relieved. Even so, we still met up to walk to school together every morning.

My stress levels had stabilized. I even took two rest days a week now. The euphoric rush of rapid growth from June had faded, and opportunities to truly feel my own progress had grown fewer. But for now, this pace felt right. The only real personal event on my summer calendar was the training camp. The one who needed to go all-out was Shiina—for her Inter-High main tournament. I pondered it all rather matter-of-factly.

“Good morning~”

Spotting Shiina, I was greeted with her usual bright smile. Even though we’d just been together for practice, that smile never got old.

“Yo. Morning.”

I raised my right hand in a casual wave.

“Ahaha, I think this every morning—we were literally just training together, but meeting up again to say hello feels so weird.”

“Yeah, it does. But… I kinda like it.”

Greeting Shiina in her uniform had become a completely natural part of my routine. She looked a little shy, but her grin was wide and happy.

“By the way, Ryūji-kun, do you have any plans for summer vacation?”

Shiina suddenly asked.

“Hmm… training camp, for starters. After that, probably just drowning in homework till it’s over.”

“Ugh, that’s such boring youth.”

“Then what about you?”

“Of course, Inter-High! And I really want to go to the beach or the pool too~♪”

“You’re actually thinking about fun stuff instead of just club activities. That’s proper sparkling youth right there.”

“Obviously! Summer’s the shiniest season of the whole year♪”

Her profile, bathed in morning sunlight, really did seem to sparkle.

We started walking toward school. Back when we first began walking together, I’d occasionally catch curious glances from other students. Now those stares had vanished entirely. Eating lunch together every day, going home together—somewhere along the line, the sight of us side by side had become ordinary. Shiina herself had even mentioned, “There’s a rumor going around that we’re dating.” When I asked if it bothered her, she’d just shrugged with a slightly embarrassed look and said, “Eh, rumors are whatever.” She didn’t seem upset at all, so I decided not to worry about it either.

There had been an upside, too. The old rumor about me and Mahiru-chan. I’d denied it whenever classmates asked, and it had been baseless to begin with. Lately it had completely died out—replaced, naturally, by the newer gossip about Shiina and me. Rumors could be a hassle, but sometimes they conveniently canceled each other out.

***

At the usual crosswalk, I noticed Matsuri-chan—Tsukishiro Matsuri—walking ahead of us. Shiina called out in a loud, cheerful voice.

“Matsuri~! Morning~!”

Matsuri turned around and instantly lit up.

“Ah! Shiina-cchi, morning~!!”

She flashed a vibrant smile. I gave a simple “Morning,” and she returned it energetically.

“Sagara-cchi, morning too~!!”

Her sunny grin was infectious; I couldn’t help smiling back. The rest of the walk became a trio.

“Shiina-cchi, you’ve been glued to Sagara-cchi lately, huh? It’s so lovey-dovey I’m getting jealous~”

At Matsuri’s teasing question, Shiina replied,

“I-I don’t think it’s that much…”

Apparently she hadn’t even noticed. Matsuri grinned mischievously.

“You were together this morning too~ Super close, huh~?”

“Th-that’s just because we train together…”

Shiina answered, visibly flustered. In my head, I mentally retorted: You do split up after practice and then meet again on purpose, though.

“Eh? You do morning practice together too? Wait—you do morning practice at all?! That’s amazing! You’re seriously working hard at kendo!”

“Yeah. Training with Ryūji-kun just… feels good. I can tell I’m getting steadily stronger.”

Shiina answered happily.

***

“Oh! Hey—why don’t the three of us go somewhere during summer break? We can invite Moe-cchi too… all four of us!”

While chatting idly on the way to school, Matsuri suddenly proposed.

“That sounds fun! Hmm… how about a summer festival? I really want to wear a yukata this year!”

Shiina jumped on the idea immediately. In the back of my mind I wondered, What about Satou? but I didn’t want to kill the mood, so I kept quiet and let the conversation flow.

“Yukata, huh… I’m fine just looking at them, honestly.”

“What?! Sagara-cchi should wear one too! Guy yukata look super cool, you know? Right, Shiina-cchi wants to see Sagara-cchi in one, don’t you~?”

“Eh? Me?! Um… well… yeah, maybe a little…?”

Suddenly put on the spot, Shiina blinked in surprise before shyly admitting she was curious.

“…I’ll think about it.”

Overwhelmed by their enthusiasm, I gave a vague reply. I didn’t even own a yukata. Hmm. What should I do…?

“Oh! Then how about the beach? What do you think? Going together would be so much fun!”

Matsuri threw out another idea.

“The beach… Feels like I’d get super tanned…”

“Ehh, but you’ll get tanned at club anyway, right? And honestly, Sagara-cchi might look kinda hot all bronzed up~ Like a total beach guy!”

“Ufufu, yeah… a super-tanned Ryūji-kun could be interesting. But maybe just for summer.”

Shiina giggled softly.

“Well, if I get to see you two in swimsuits, that’s paradise for my eyes.”

I fired back playfully—and both of them laughed, cheeks faintly pink. The conversation drifted on, full of innocent anticipation for summer break.

***

“Lately I haven’t had much time to hang out with Shiina-cchi, and we haven’t done anything with just the three of us and Moe-cchi either… So I’d love to play a ton during summer vacation~”

Matsuri said it cheerfully, but I felt a small pang of guilt. I realized my presence had been quietly disrupting the four-way childhood-friend dynamic that included Satou.

“Sorry. Having me around probably makes it harder for you four to get together like old times…”

The self-deprecating words slipped out, but Shiina immediately shook her head.

“That’s not true at all. Time with you is really important to me, Ryūji-kun. And of course time with Matsuri and Moe is important too.”

“Exactly! If Shiina-cchi is happy, I’m happy too!”

Matsuri laughed brightly, brushing off my concern.

“Thanks.”

Hearing that from people who’d known each other forever—and me being the outsider—warmed me more than I expected. I started thinking about what I could do in return and made a suggestion.

“But… maybe it’d be good to have some childhood-friend-only time once in a while? I’ve kinda been monopolizing Shiina during mornings and club. How about this: today at lunch, just you three—Shiina, Matsuri, and Isshiki?”

Shiina glanced at me, a little worried.

“What about you, Ryūji-kun? What will you do for lunch?”

“I’ll be fine on my own. We can make time together anytime, right?”

She looked quietly happy at that and nodded. “Yeah.”

Convinced, she turned to Matsuri.

“Matsuri. Want to eat lunch together today? Let’s invite Moe too.”

Matsuri looked at me. When I gave a small nod, she beamed and threw her arms around Shiina.

“Yay~!! It’s been forever since the three of us ate together!!”

Shiina was startled for a second, then gently hugged her back, murmuring happily, “We have to tell Moe,” as she pulled out her phone and quickly messaged Isshiki.

***

“Hey, Sagara-cchi… so seriously, do you actually have any plans for summer vacation?”

Just before the school gate, Matsuri asked again.

“Training camp at the end of the month. Other than that, mostly just cheering for Shiina at Inter-High. Nothing else big, so I can adjust.”

“Really?! Yes!! Then let’s definitely do the festival and the beach—all of us! Shiina-cchi, we’re buying swimsuits together, okay?! With Sagara-cchi there, you’ve gotta go bold this year~”

“Eh? Uh, y-yeah…”

Caught off guard, Shiina glanced at me and blushed. Matsuri let out a delighted “Kyaa!” and burst into laughter.

“H-hey, Matsuri! Stop teasing!”

“Sorry sorry~ But seriously! With Moe-cchi too—it’s gonna be so much fun~! I can’t wait for summer vacation!!”

Before I knew it, I’d been slotted into their summer plans. I wasn’t complaining—far from it—but a small part of me still wondered if Satou Minato was really okay with all this. A faint unease lingered in my chest.