Parameter Supremacy: The Man Who Seizes a Harem Through Sheer Effort. - Chapter 35.

Episode 35: A Secret Lunch Gathering.

The chime signaling the end of fourth period rang out.

As the homeroom teacher gathered their things and left the classroom, classmates rose from their seats and began preparing for lunch. From the back rows came Matsuri-chan’s bright, energetic voice.

“Shiina-cchi, Moe-cchi, let’s gooo!”

They were surely heading off to eat together—the usual trio of Shiina, Isshiki, and Matsuri.

I glanced back, suddenly curious about Satou Minato’s mood. He was watching the three of them walk out through the school building’s door with a faintly suspicious look in his eyes. Once our gazes met, I turned away, spread out my own bento, and settled in to eat alone.

***

Shiina and the others sat down on a bench tucked in the corner of the school grounds, right beside the tennis courts. The old metal bench had patches where the blue paint had peeled away, its legs and backrest speckled with rust. The large cherry tree directly behind them blocked the harsh midday sun, casting a pleasant, dappled shade. The three lined up in order—Shiina, Matsuri, then Moe—and opened their lunch boxes.

“It’s really been forever since the three of us could eat together like this,” Moe said from the middle seat, her smile soft and genuinely happy.

“Totally~! We’ve gotta thank Sagara-cchi for this!” Matsuri replied, beaming just as brightly.

“Sorry… Lately my club activities have been so packed that we haven’t had much time to hang out together,” Shiina murmured, looking a little guilty.

“Don’t worry about it, Shii-chan. I’m cheering for you and your kendo club, you know~” Moe said gently.

“Yeah, Shiina-cchi, seriously—don’t sweat it! Even if we only get to hang out once in a while, I’m totally fine with that!”

Hearing the two of them, Shiina finally let a warm, relieved smile spread across her face.

“Thanks. Okay then… let’s eat!”

The long-awaited lunch among the three childhood friends passed in the blink of an eye, filled with laughter and easy conversation.

***

After they finished eating, the three sipped from the plastic bottles of drinks they’d bought on the way here. Though freshly purchased, the summer heat had already warmed them slightly.

“Eating lunch together like old times was so much fun… I really, really love you both ♡” Moe said with a contented grin.

“Sagara-kun lent Shii-chan to us today, right? We should be grateful~” she added playfully.

At those words, Shiina gave a tiny flinch.

“Lent… I’m not Ryuuji-kun’s property or anything!”

Matsuri caught the phrasing immediately. A mischievous grin spread across her face.

“‘Not yet~?’ Sooo… does that mean there’s a plan for you to become Sagara-cchi’s property sometime soon? Hehe. Come on, Shiina-cchi—be honest~”

Shiina flushed. “Mou!” she huffed, puffing out her cheeks in embarrassment.

“Moe-cchi, you shouldn’t tease Shii-chan like that~” Matsuri chided—only for Matsuri herself to immediately backpedal.

“Ah—sorry, Shiina-cchi!”

Shiina gave an exasperated little laugh. “Can’t be helped, huh…”

“But seriously, I’m grateful to Ryuuji-kun. Being together with my two childhood friends really is the best.”

“Right?! Let’s hang out tons over summer break too! Sagara-cchi seems like he’d join us, so I’m way too excited!”

“Huh? Matsuri-chan, did you already make plans with Sagara-kun?” Moe asked, blinking in innocent confusion—she hadn’t heard about this morning’s conversation.

“Yep! For now I invited everyone to go to the fireworks festival and the beach together!”

“Hey, Shiina-cchi!”

Matsuri turned to her.

“Yeah. Ryuuji-kun didn’t seem against it at all. If we actually make proper plans, I think he’ll come.”

Hearing that, Moe suddenly looked anxious.

“Ehh… the beach means swimsuits, right? I’m gonna be so embarrassed… My body’s still so childish-looking, and I don’t really have any cute ones that suit me…”

“You’ll be fine, Moe-cchi! Be proud of that magnificent chest of yours!”

Matsuri clapped her hands together theatrically, half-joking. Shiina muttered “magnificent chest…” under her breath and—before she could stop herself—stole an envious glance at Moe’s bust. She quickly shook her head and looked away.

“But… what about you two? I’m happy to go out with Ryuuji-kun, but… what about Minato-kun? You didn’t invite him, right? Is that okay?”

Even though it was the height of summer, a sudden chill prickled down Shiina’s spine—like the air itself had shifted. At almost the same moment, both Moe and Matsuri quietly murmured his name.

“…Minato-kun.”

***

“Um… did something happen with Minato-kun?”

Shiina asked carefully. Moe and Matsuri exchanged a glance, then fell into an awkward silence. After a long moment, Moe gave Matsuri the tiniest nod. Matsuri looked down, let out a small sigh, and finally spoke as though steeling herself.

“Okay, I’ll tell you. But… it’s not a very fun story, alright?”

Shiina gave a short “Got it.”

“So… the day after exams ended, Moe-cchi and I went to the arcade with Minato-kun. Lately you haven’t really been hanging out with us, Shiina-cchi, and he seemed kinda mad about it. We thought maybe it’d cheer him up.”

Shiina simply nodded. “Mm.”

“But while we were playing, Minato-kun started acting really weird. Like… inconsiderate? Off?”

At that point Moe looked down, clearly uncomfortable. She must have memories of her own. Matsuri continued.

“Even at the hamburger place we went to for lunch—he said he wanted some collectible card or whatever, so he made Moe-cchi order the kids’ set. But then he ordered the exact same thing himself anyway. And the tropical burger Moe-cchi really wanted? He ordered that one just for himself too… so he ended up with two of the cards. When I thought maybe he was planning to resell them… it just felt kinda gross.”

The more she spoke, the more thinly veiled disgust colored Matsuri’s voice.

“And then at the arcade afterward, he kept forcing Moe-cchi to play games she was bad at and saying awful things. He ignored the two of us and just played by himself the whole time… Honestly, what the hell was that…?”

Matsuri exhaled sharply and went on.

“But the worst thing happened after that… Moe-cchi and I got bored watching him play, so we started doing crane games together. At first it was super fun—we kept winning stuffed animals. Moe-cchi said it was her first time, but she was insanely good. She even got those really hard figurines… I was like, whoa. But then these creepy guys started hitting on us…”

Matsuri’s face twisted at the memory of disgust and fear.

“Even when we said we were there with Minato-kun, they wouldn’t back off. We got scared… I yelled ‘Minato-kun, help!’ really loud, but… he never came.”

Moe gave a tiny, sharp intake of breath.

“In the end a security guard showed up and they left, but… right when those creeps were closing in and I thought I was going to cry… that’s when I saw it.”

Matsuri’s voice trembled.

“Through the glass of the crane machine… Minato-kun was watching us. The whole time. He pretended later like he didn’t know what happened, but he saw everything. He saw—and he didn’t help.”

The air around them grew oppressively heavy. Moe, hearing it for the first time, covered her mouth in shock. Shiina’s expression hardened.

“That was the moment I thought… I’m done. He’s disgusting. Honestly, being around him now just feels painful. Haha… yeah. That’s how it is.”

After a while, Moe spoke in a small, subdued voice. “Matsuri-chan… I’m sorry.”

Matsuri shook her head frantically. “No, no—Moe-cchi didn’t do anything wrong. I just… decided on my own that I don’t want to be near him anymore.”

Shiina let out a deep sigh.

“I understand why. I don’t really get the reselling thing, but the way he spoke to Moe, and… especially abandoning you two during the pickup—that’s on him. I’m disappointed too.”

Her tone carried an icy edge that was completely unlike the usual Shiina.

“He kept going on and on about being childhood friends, but when it actually mattered he just watched and did nothing? That’s unforgivable.”

“Matsuri, you don’t have to spend time with Minato-kun anymore. If anything happens, I’ll handle it.”

At those resolute words, Matsuri’s eyes welled up. “Thank you…” she whispered.

Shiina turned her gaze to Moe. She understood Matsuri’s feelings now—but Moe’s heart was still unclear.

“…That day, I felt a lot of things too. The hamburger stuff… honestly it kinda creeped me out. And the mean things he said during the games… But lately he’s been saying stuff like that all the time, so I guess I just got used to it…”

Moe looked down and gave a weak, bitter smile.

“The pickup was scary, but… Matsuri-chan kept protecting me the whole time. I felt so bad for her…”

Matsuri shook her head vigorously. “No way.”

“I… until just recently, I really did like Minato-kun. Being with him made me happy. I thought I loved him… But lately, being around him feels a little scary. His attitude, the way he talks—it’s all so different from before. I don’t understand why… and I don’t even understand my own feelings anymore…”

“Do I… really like Minato-kun at all…?”

***

Silence settled over them. The clock on someone’s phone showed that the warning bell would ring any moment. Finally, Shiina spoke with quiet determination.

“I can’t read the finer details of your heart, Moe. But… maybe it’s worth checking your feelings one more time? Even just meeting him and talking might help you understand what you really feel.”

Matsuri nodded in agreement.

“I already can’t see myself liking Minato-kun anymore. But that doesn’t mean I want to deny how Moe-cchi feels. I think giving the two of you some time alone is a good idea. Maybe go on a date or something.”

Seeing Matsuri force a bright smile despite everything, Moe gave a small “Mm” and nodded.

And so, Isshiki Moe decided that—to confirm her own heart—she would meet with Satou Minato once more.